On Friday 2nd March, local MP Charlotte Leslie visited the Home-Start Bristol offices. Charlotte has recently taken on the role of Home-Start Bristol patron and we were delighted to welcome her to our offices.
We were lucky enough to have two families and a volunteer here to talk to Charlotte and discuss the way in which Home-Start works with different families and for Charlotte to listen to the experiences of the families and their feelings about the type of support they had received, as well as the difference it has made to them as a family.
Celia, one of our volunteer reps was able to discuss the work from a volunteers point of view, the challenges and the triumphs that go hand in hand with being a Home-Start volunteer – and ultimately the enjoyment and successes that make it worth doing.
Charlotte stayed for over an hour and really enjoyed spending time learning about what we do and how we do it from the people who understand it. Welcome on board Charlotte!
Here are a couple of photos from yesterday’s Home-Start Bristol AGM
On Thursday, 10th June 2010 we held our Summer BBQ. Here are a few photos of the event.
A very BIG thank you to all of those volunteers who made it to our Christmas Lunch. We hope you enjoyed it as much as the staff and Trustees did?
It was really great to see so many of you there!
Louise Podmore (a sister of one of the families we support) sucessfully ran the Bristol half marathon on the 6th September and the Hertfordshire 10k challenge on the 11th October in aid of Home-Start Bristol raising a staggering £499! If you fancy taking place in a sponsored event please let us know as we would be more than happy to assist!
Please go to http://www.justgiving.com/Louise-Podmore if you would like any more information.
The “Loving Squeeze” initiative is to launch Bold 2in1’s new squeezable bottle. A roadshow is visiting 12 key Tesco stores in August – September, followed by another tour of 12 stores in November. The branch of Tesco on Eastgate Road will be visited on November 28th.
The decision was taken to form a charitable association for this product launch, in keeping with the brand and theme of the initiative (“Loving Squeeze”). Home-Start was felt to be a perfect fit with both the Bold 2in1 brand and the theme – both being very family orientated.
A series of photo sessions have taken place with various celebrities in a “loving squeeze” with either their parent or child. Those taking part have included; Hannah Waterman & her mum; Martine McCutcheon & her best friend; Sharon Davies & her daughter; Lisa Butcher & her mum; Amanda Lamb & her daughter; Nell McAndrew & her son. These pictures along with interviews with the celebs on the importance of a loving squeeze will be appearing in various national and local press and publications, with a TV advert in support as well. The Home-Start branding will appear alongside Bold 2in1 branding in all coverage, and celebs will be saying why they are supporting our work.
Shoppers will be invited to have their photos taken in the booth with a member of their family in a “loving squeeze”, and will receive a framed print of the shot. In return, they will be asked for a donation to Home-Start UK.
So – we can be there – 2 of us at a time – to shake collecting tins and hand out leaflets. We had such a success with our Waitrose collection in August so we shall of course be present at the Eastgate Road Tesco with bright and smiling faces! So, if you could help on November 28th between 10.30 and 17.00, please let us know!
Thornbury FM are doing a series of programmes on volunteering and have offered us a slot on November 12th between 11.30am and 12.00pm. We shall be able to talk about volunteering for Home-Start Bristol in between bits of music and we get to choose a record! Would you like your voice to be one of those heard on the radio? Do you have any suggestions for a suitable record for us to request?
A lot of fingers and toes are being crossed by staff and trustees at the moment as it’s almost decision time for several applications for funding which have been made in the past months. However the big success of the summer was winning a grant of £10,000 from the government’s Recession Fund. We were one of only 25 schemes in the country to receive one of these grants. We’re going to have to work hard for it, but we’re proud of having achieved this!
On June 18th Debbie, our volunteer Recruiter, attended Thornbury Volunteer Fair with a stand to promote Home-Start Bristol. It was a good networking day getting a chance to chat with the Mayor of Thornbury and having partaken in a radio interview with Thornbury FM. Home-Start Bristol works also in South Gloucestershire and has a couple of volunteers based in Thornbury currently.
Every year Home-Start Bristol holds a summer BBQ event to thank our volunteers for all their hard work. This year the weather held out fantastically and volunteers, staff and trustees were able to thoroughly enjoy an evening of scrumptious food and drink and lots of chatter and catch up.
A big thank you to Helen Wilde for providing a most beautiful venue in which to hold this event.
