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An exciting new volunteering initiative that will help support the needs of residents in the Meadows area of Nottingham is set to be launched this month.
Local charities Notts County Foundation and the Bridges Community Trust have partnered with Meadows Community Helpers to enhance the amount of support available for local residents on a day-to-day basis.
The new scheme will be strengthened further thanks to a dedicated page on the HelpMyStreet website, which was established in 2020 by Nottinghamshire entrepreneur Mark Hawkins in order to assist individuals supporting their communities throughout the pandemic. Already established in the Ruddington area of Nottingham, HelpMyStreet aims to make volunteering and finding volunteers safe, simple and effective for everyone.
Sam Crawford, Head of Business Development at Notts County Foundation, said:
“Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, togetherness and local support have been vital in supporting communities through this unpredictable time. From assisting with weekly shopping to just having a conversation with someone who’s feeling lonely, the importance of helping others when and where possible cannot be underestimated.
“Notts County Foundation is proud to support the invaluable work of the Meadows Community Helpers, and we look forward to working alongside all of the selfless volunteers to help support as many people in the local community as possible.”
Mark Hawkins, Founder and Director of HelpMyStreet, said:
“I am really excited about this local project. The collaboration between three organisations who all understand and are passionate about the Meadows area of Nottingham should make the scheme a real success, and we are incredibly pleased to be able to provide the digital platform to bring this initiative to life.”
The platform will enable local residents to register as a volunteer and help match them with local requests for support, with tasks such as shopping for essentials, taking out bins, digital support or a friendly chat with those most isolated all being available.
Sarah Robertson, Community Engagement and Impact Manager at the Bridges Community Trust, said:
“This is a great project that showcases how local community organisations working collaboratively can really benefit our local area and the lives of residents. This platform is a great tool in bringing volunteers and local people in need of support together in a safe, organised and convenient way.
“Our community has done some great work during the pandemic, supporting those who are in need of additional assistance. HelpMyStreet will allow that work to continue within our community.”
The launch of this innovative new scheme in the Meadows area will help further the vital work carried out by the pre-existing Meadows Community Helpers since March 2020. It will also help expand the scale of support within the area.
Chris Henderson, a volunteer from Meadows Community Helpers, said:
“During 2020, the Meadows community did an incredible job of coming forward to support one another in the toughest periods of the pandemic. This new initiative will build on that amazing work and allow us to continue long after COVID-19 passes.”
For more information about Meadows Community Helpers, please visit https://www.helpmystreet.org/meadows-community-helpers.
charitytoday.co.uk | 6 June 2021
The staff at NHS Property Services has voted overwhelmingly in favour of Young Lives vs Cancer (formerly CLIC Sargent) as their new three-year charity partner.
The government-owned company, which helps the NHS get the most from its estate, will support the UK’s leading cancer charity for children and young people both financially and logistically.
Funds raised through the partnership with NHS Property Services will go towards Young Lives vs Cancer’s ‘Homes from Home’ service, providing a free place for families to stay when their child is going through cancer treatment. The charity has 10 Homes from Home close to specialist treatment centres in eight cities across the UK. These help families avoid the extra financial burdens of travel, accommodation and food costs. They also allow young cancer patients to be close to their loved ones, keeping the family together at a difficult time.
The NHS Property Services’ team will not only be taking on a whole host of fundraising challenges over the next three years, but they will also help Young Lives vs Cancer logistically through volunteer maintenance roles in the Homes from Home. As managers of one of the largest property portfolio in the UK, they will use their unrivalled depth of experience and breadth of skills to help keep the Homes from Home safe and fit for purpose for years to come.
Young cancer patients can often experience acute isolation during their treatment, which negatively affects their mental health. Young Lives vs Cancer social care teams will look to run peer-to-peer support group sessions, as well as one to one support for families, at space in NHS Property Services’ portfolio.
Head of High-Value Fundraising at Young Lives vs Cancer, Julie Millar said:
“We’re so grateful to everyone at NHS Property Services who voted for Young Lives vs Cancer as their new charity partner. Our Homes from Home provide a lifeline for families who face the crushing reality of a childhood cancer diagnosis. This three-year partnership will ensure that our Homes from Home can continue to run both during these challenging times and in the future, keeping young cancer patients and their families safe and supported during treatment.”
Deborah Prince, NHS Property Services Director of Customer Services and Communication, said that Young Lives vs Cancer is a perfect fit for the organisation:
“With 64 exceptional candidates all doing such great work, our frontline colleagues picked a partner that really resonated with them. We’re so excited to be working with the Young Lives vs. Cancer team to make a real difference to the lives of children and their families affected by cancer and we are incredibly proud to be supporting this work.”
Many children like five-year-old Emmett from Aylesbury have already benefitted hugely from staying in a Home from Home. Emmett was diagnosed with germ cell cancer in August 2018 and was physically sick a number of times every hour when he first started chemotherapy.
Staying in Young Lives vs Cancer’s Home from Home, CLIC Court in Oxford close to John Radcliffe Hospital, was hugely helpful for Emmett and his mum, Amy Scullard, who says,
“We were so thankful we were at the Home.”
Another parent supported by Young Lives vs Cancer, who stayed at Billy’s House in Nottingham close to Nottingham University Hospital, describes the real benefits of staying in a Home from Home:
“The other parents at the house were in similar situations and we would look out for each other, whether it was a shoulder to cry on, or sharing milk when you couldn’t get to the shop. And our children could play together without worrying about germs and illnesses that people outside of the cancer world don’t always understand.”
With only 19 specialist cancer treatment centres for young people in the UK, many families face frequent and gruelling journeys – on average 60 miles or more – to receive life-saving treatment their child needs. Treatment can last up to three years and families can face extra costs of £600 each month for travelling and food. Young Lives vs Cancer’s Homes from Home provide clean, safe and homely accommodation for families when they most need it, completely free.
For more information about Young Lives vs Cancer, visit younglivesvscancer.org.uk
charitytoday.co.uk | 6 June 2021
A family’s fundraising in memory of their baby daughter has contributed to improvements on the neonatal wards at Leeds Children’s Hospital, allowing parents to stay closer to their newborns for longer.
New parents Amy and Connor Campbell, along with Amy’s sister Kirsty, set up ‘Campbellinas’ to fundraise specifically for the neonatal wards after their daughter Esme tragically died aged just seven weeks old.
Esme and twin sister Charlotte were born three months prematurely in 2016 and were very poorly from birth. Charlotte was diagnosed with cerebral palsy following a brain haemorrhage, while Esme contracted meningitis and ventriculitis following infection and sadly never recovered. Charlotte was able to go home on what would have been her due date, three months later.
Contributions from the Cambellinas’ ‘Save my Seat’ fundraising campaign has enabled Leeds Hospitals Charity to purchase special reclining chairs, guest beds and retractable screens between cots at a cost of nearly £20,000. The screens ensure privacy and dignity for parents whilst sleeping and in their nightwear, whereas guest beds allow patients to remain by their child, which is essential for caring, development and growth for mum and baby.
Amy said:
“When Esme died, we felt such huge gratitude towards the unit and how incredibly supportive and hardworking they were. Everything that they’ve done for our family – we wanted to say thank you to them.
“A huge part of setting up Campbellinas was part of our grief, and it helped us to process and accept. I think my way of continuing to mother Esme was all involved in the neonatal unit and Campbellinas.
“When I was on the unit, there were some big, comfy chairs. You don’t realise until you’re in that position – the small things that you don’t necessarily think of – a relaxing reclining chair makes a world of difference.
“But it almost turned into a bit of a joke because they didn’t have many. So if you managed to bag yourself a comfy chair in the morning, you either got your husband to sit on it when you went to go and express, or the nurse would have to save your seat. This is what led to us starting ‘Save my Seat.’
“It feels very comforting that we’ve done something to help others going through a pretty unimaginable experience.”
The Leeds Centre for Newborn Care is at Leeds Children’s Hospital is one of the largest neonatal services in the country. It provides specialist care to around 1,700 babies each year, many of whom need intensive care or surgery.
The service uses a model of Family Integrated Care (FICare), introduced in 2015, the first of its kind in the UK. This enables parents to get to know their baby and learn how to care for them, all of which improves outcomes for these tiny, sick babies.
Liz McKechnie, Consultant Neonatologist at Leeds Children’s Hospital, said:
“The Campbell family were able to benefit from FICare, and now their generous donation will enable many more families to do so.”
For more information about Leeds Hospitals Charity, please visit https://www.leedshospitalscharity.org.uk/.
charitytoday.co.uk | 21 April 2021