Home-Start Wandsworth

Champions for Children – Pledgers needed This year, Home-Start Wandsworth is taking part in Champions for Children, a match funding campaign by The Childhood Trust. Families today are facing unprecedented challenges with 1 in 4 living in poverty. We are hoping to raise £40K to ensure that we can help more struggling families and give more children the chance of a brighter future. As part of the campaign, we need supporters to make promises of funding, called ‘Pledges’, which will be used as match funds to double online donations made to our charity during the campaign week (3 June - 17 June.) So £50 from a member of the public, becomes £100 for Home-Start. One donation, twice the impact! We are hoping to raise £10K in pledges. £100 is the minimum pledge permitted by The Big Give portal. We appreciate that this is a large sum but pledges are key to the campaign’s success and determine how much funding we might receive from The Childhood Trust. Pledges need to be collected before Friday 14 March - although no actual money will be collected until after 17 June. Pledge HERE : https://lnkd.in/euSAD6JX £150 could support families to attend a weekly lunch club £500 could provide home-visiting support to struggling families £1000 could fund a day trip to the seaside for 20 families #matchfunding #charity #supportingfamilies #corporatefundraising #localcharity #wandsworthcharity #familycharity #biggive #championsforchildren

New year, new opportunities. Maybe your New Year's resolution is to eat better, drink less, exercise more, get a new job, learn a new skill or spend more time with loved ones but how about changing the lives of others through volunteering? Could you spare 2-4 hours a week to support a local family dealing with difficulties including: post-natal depression, isolation, physical and mental health problems, bereavement or financial worries. Home-Start volunteers work alongside families to give compassionate, non-judgemental, confidential support, tailored to each family. They help families regain their confidence and empower them to build connections with other support services and the wider community to reduce isolation. There has never been a better time to make a difference that lasts a lifetime. You don’t need any formal qualifications – all you need is a willingness to help, empathy, enthusiasm, reliability and a little time. As a Home-Start volunteer, you will be given all the training and support to be effective and make a real difference to families in your community. You will also develop transferable skills which can support you in your life, whether that’s at home or at work. Applications are now open for our spring training course. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/gpMXtHpc #volunteering #volunteer #voluntarysector #charity #familysupport

It was fantastic to be part of this day. Thank you Gate One.

Could you spare 2-4 hours a week to support a local family and make a difference that lasts a lifetime? Home-Start Wandsworth is looking for people to join their network of trained volunteers. Volunteers support families with young children in Wandsworth dealing with a variety of difficulties including; post-natal depression, isolation, physical and mental health problems, bereavement or financial worries. Our volunteers work alongside families to give compassionate, non-judgemental, confidential support, tailored to each family. They help families regain their confidence and empower them to build connections with other support services and the wider community to reduce isolation. If you have parental or any other experience with young children and can spare 2-4 hours every week to visit a family in their home, then we would love to hear from you. You don’t need qualifications – all you need is a willingness to help, empathy enthusiasm, reliability – and a little time. Applications are now open for our next volunteer training programme. The course will start on Thursday 12 September and will run every Thursday from 9:30am – 2:30pm for 8 weeks (with a break for half-term.) Find out more: https://lnkd.in/gpMXtHpc #volunteeropportunities #childrenscharity #familysupport #volunteer #parttimevolunteer #charity #makingadifference

As part of our special celebrations during National Volunteers Week (4 – 9 June 2024), Home-Start Wandsworth organised a Volunteers’ Festival at Battersea Art Centre. The event was intended to show gratitude to our magnificent volunteers. We simply would not be able to do our vital work without their continued support, they are at the heart of everything we do. During the day, we heard from three volunteers who shared their stories and valuable insights into what volunteering means to them. A common theme we heard was how rewarding volunteering is for the volunteers and the positive effect it has on their own wellbeing. Volunteers felt that it was a “levelling experience” and one that helps put their own issues into perspective. “Volunteering is such a rewarding thing to do and gives me a real sense of fulfilment. It is incredibly humbling to support families facing such difficult situations. I feel so proud when I see how far the family has come, developing renewed confidence and hope for the future. With the right support parents are able to find joy in parenting, parent-child relations are improved and children thrive.” – Home-Start Wandsworth volunteer We are grateful to Charline Thompson, Child Development and Parenting Specialist, who delivered an informative and insightful talk about a ‘Child centred approach’ looking at the importance of play and playful parenting for child development. The Home-Start Volunteers’ Festival was a lovely occasion to remind our volunteers why they are needed and why we value their support. If you would like to make a difference that lasts a lifetime then why not find out more about becoming a Home-Start Wandsworth volunteer? https://bit.ly/3M7VWvX    

Making children’s futures brighter   Families today are facing unprecedented challenges. For families who were already struggling, the global pandemic and economic turbulence have acted as magnifiers, exacerbating existing challenges and creating additional pressures. More and more families are being pushed to the point of crisis. Our programme of group activities and 1:1 support is needed now more than ever to improve the futures of children in their early years. During this time, children need nurturing care from their parents and caregivers. The quality of the relationships that surround children, and a positive home environment are key to promoting wellbeing, healthy relationships and school success later in life. “Our early childhoods, the time from pregnancy to five, fundamentally shape our whole lives.” – Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood. Simply donate Join us on our mission to give more children the chance of a brighter future by simply making a donation between midday 4th June – midday 18th June. With thanks to the Childhood Trust all donations will be doubled*. Yes doubled! One donation double the impact. *Whilst match funding lasts. Donate now: bit.ly/3xa7gmr  

We are looking for trustees to join our Board and help achieve our vision to support  families with young children in Wandsworth through challenging times. Whether you are an experienced trustee, want to join a board for the first time or have lived experience to bring, we would love to hear from you. You may have been a beneficiary or a volunteer for Home-Start Wandsworth (HSW) previously, or come fresh to the charity and bring new perspectives. We aim to be a diverse and inclusive organisation, and are committed to reflecting the diversity of the communities we support in our own governance. We warmly welcome applicants of all ages, genders and backgrounds, including, for example, black, Asian or minority ethnic, LGBTQIA, people under the age of 40, and people with experience of physical or mental illness or disability. This is a voluntary position but reasonable expenses are reimbursed. Find our more and read full job description: https://lnkd.in/gPFxM3Eq How to apply  If you would like to find out more about the role before applying, please contact Helen Blenkinsop, Chair of the Board of Trustees, at helen@homestartwandsworth.org.uk to arrange a call. To apply, please submit your CV and a covering letter detailing your experience and what  you would bring to the role to our Business Support Administrator, Ellie Awoye at ellie@homestartwandsworth.org.uk The deadline for applications is 14th June 2024. #trustee #Boardoftrustees #charityrecruitment #voluntarysector #volunteer #charity #parttime

There are still tickets available for our Summer Ball on Saturday 15 June at Battersea Arts Centre. Don on your glad rags and gather friends, colleagues and family for a night of delicious food & drink, silent auction and dancing to a live band. Now more than ever, families need our support and every single penny raised will go towards helping families and giving more children the chance of a brighter future. Thank you to our generous sponsors intellimation.ai, SDS London, Thompson Tyndall and Warren Estate Agents and Bellevue Law for sponsoring an auction lot. If you would like to find out more about advertising and sponsorship please email Holly@homestartwandsworth.org.uk #fundraising #summerball #fundraisingball #charity

AN EXTRAORDINARY RACE FOR EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE IN AN EXTRAORDINARY PLACE Congratulations to Freddie Maher for completing one of the toughest races on Earth, the Marathon des Sables, finishing an amazing 37th out of 833. The Marathon des Sables is a gruelling 6 day event covering 250kms across the Sahara Desert. We are incredibly grateful to Freddie for raising money for Home-Start Wandsworth and smashing his original fundraising goal. Please do help him celebrate his fantastic achievement by donating to his fundraising page https://bit.ly/499tbbq He is so close to raising an astonishing £10K and would really appreciate your support. #marathondessables #fundraising #charity #familycharity #ultrachallenge

We need your help. Home-Start Wandsworth will be taking part in the match funded The Childhood Trust's Champions for Children campaign. We’re hoping to raise vital funds to give more children the chance of a brighter future. As part of our application, we need to secure promises of funding, called ‘Pledges’, which will be used to match fund any donations made to us during the campaign week (4 June - 18 June.) One donation, twice the impact! We are aiming to raise £10,000 in pledges to take part in the campaign with the hope that The Childhood Trust will also pledge £10,000 to the match funding pot. All pledges (which doesn't need to be paid until June/July) must be secured by this Friday 15 March and need to be collected via this simple online form https://bit.ly/48MhlCR. Your pledge could help make a difference that lasts a lifetime. #matchfunding #matchfund #fundraising #childhoodtrust #championsforchildren #doubletheimpact #charityfundraising #charitysupport #childrenscharity #makingadifference #makinganimpact