Southside Family Project

Wishing everyone a safe, warm and happy Christmas break. Many thanks for all the support of Southside and our communities this year. Our amazing staff and volunteer team will be taking a much-needed break at the end of this difficult year. Information about support during the time that our offices are closed on our website: https://lnkd.in/e24wMDeF

Congratulations to our Writhlington Community Hub Group! Helena R. and 'Wednesday Club' families pitched for funding at the Big Local Radstock and Westfield Dragons' Den event, and were voted for by the local community to be awarded a grant for Hot Meals throughout winter at our weekly after-school group. Thanks to all the families who helped with the pitch and planning, some of the children pictured here with Helena and friendly Dragon, Toni Anne Green from BANES 3rd Sector Group (3SG). It was great to meet all the other groups pitching at the event and make connections to work together more. We were so inspired to learn more about so many amazing projects and activities in Radstock and Westfield. #GiveLocally #BigLocal

Thanks so much to Co-op members for supporting Southside's Community Hub Groups over the past year by choosing us as your local cause! As part of Co-op Local Community Fund, over £2,000 has been donated and this supports our Community Hub Groups providing nutritious food, warm spaces, peer support, creative activities and play for local families - even more important during this cold weather. Thanks to the local Co-Op stores and members for supporting so many causes to make a difference in our local communities. Co-Op members can now choose your local cause for this year: https://lnkd.in/gJaT_XT including Southside's Young Advocates Project: https://lnkd.in/eKWQJ8DU #GiveLocally

Parents from our Writhlington Community Hub Group will be pitching at Radstock & Westfield Big Local's eleventh Dragons’ Den run on Friday 15th November. If you live in the Radstock and Westfield community (map of the area covered at https://lnkd.in/eEURwdMy), you have a vote! Please do support the group at the event and learn about other amazing projects in the local community: Friday 15th November, 5:30pm to 7:30pm Westfield Sports and Community Centre, Westhill Road, BA3 3TE This week, children in the group were making a poster of what they love about the Wednesday Group so we wanted to share this lovely message and drawing from Maia:

Congratulations to Ruby and all the young people who won awards at Youth Connect South West's fifth Young People's Awards! Ruby is pictured here with proud Mum, Helena. Both are part of the Southside family and team - Ruby as a Young Advocate and Volunteer and Helena as a Community Hub Group Worker, Family Support Practitioner and Parent Advocate. We were honoured to attend the Young People's Awards and celebrate so many amazing young people, Youth Workers, support team and the incredible impact of Young Connect South West in its first five years as a charity. You can watch the lovely video showcasing some of the key moments at: https://lnkd.in/eQjUKScd

From 1st November 2024, the Family Support and Play Service starts a new phase following the end of the significant annual contribution from the Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) Direct Schools Grant to support work with children and their families. The direct B&NES Council funding is continuing with a variation to the contract to reflect the changes to the services delivered. This significant reduction means that the Family Support and Play Service can no longer fund delivery from Bath Area Play Project (BAPP), and Southside would like to thank and pay tribute to the BAPP team for their contribution and work with children and families through our partnership since 2016. BAPP workers have provided inspiring creative play activities in our Community Hub Groups in Foxhill and Keynsham, supported hundreds of children through Nurture Groups in schools across B&NES, and provided whole family support. BAPP will continue to provide services directly with more information available on www.bapp.org.uk. The funding cut also affects the overall capacity for Family Support and no longer supports Southside’s Community Hub Groups, Therapeutic Play and Counselling services. We are working hard to continue these services at this difficult time through our fundraising and support from a range of trusts, foundations, companies and individuals, as well as any additional statutory funding available. Southside will continue to provide our high quality, whole family support with a trauma informed and therapeutic approach to provide early support before things get worse. The service is open to referrals through professionals and for families to contact us directly to seek support. We will work hard to ensure that the reduced capacity does not impact families as much as possible. Please contact the Business Support team on 01225 331243 if you would like further information or visit www.south-side.org.uk for the referral criteria and form. https://lnkd.in/ePXEFXkv

Thanks so much to Bath Rotary for supporting Southside and The Glasshouse Academy through the 2024 Fireworks Display on 2nd November on the Recreation Ground in the centre of the city! This much-loved community charity event is such a highlight of the year and we're looking forward to another stunning display with music, lighting up the skies above Bath and supporting local families and our local community. Book your tickets at: https://lnkd.in/eKuB-3gz

Thanks so much to Co-op Local Community Fund for all their support of local organisations. Southside is part of the Co-op Local Community Fund, supporting our Community Hub Groups providing nutritious food, warm spaces, peer support, creative activities and play for local families. If you're a Co-op member, this is the final week (closes on Saturday 19 October) to choose Southside as your chosen project for the 2024 funding round. Everyone who selects Southside boosts the funding that we will receive for our Community Hub Groups - choose Southside by clicking here and you can help us make a difference in our community: https://lnkd.in/dtWFFUXM

Thanks to the Bath Half Marathon Community Fund for your support of all the wonderful local organisations highlighted in this article. The creative art projects are underway in our four Community Hub Groups in Twerton and Whiteway, Fox Hill, Writhlington and Keynsham, engaging children and families in creating art together over this school year to show what they enjoy in their local communities. We look forward to sharing the completed artworks with you all next year! Thanks also to Quartet Community Foundation, which hosts the Bath Half Marathon Fund. #GiveLocally #Philanthropy https://lnkd.in/eGGkpAQN

Thanks so much to the Rotork Charity Committee in Bath and everyone who baked or bought cakes and supported the Coffee Morning so generously in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support and Southside as Rotork's local charity of the year. The pieces of this wonderful chocolate cake went very quickly, as well as the delicious Sicilian Lemon and Honey Cake, Banana Bread, Welsh Cakes, Chocolate Tart, Brownies, Rocky Road, Cup Cakes, Lemon Drizzle Cake, Victoria Sponge and much more! Thanks for the opportunity to raise more awareness of Southside too and for all your support of local charities.