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Newsletter for volunteers, families & friends
of Home-Start Richmond
Home-Start
Richmond upon Thames
Spring 2011 - Issue 25
FAMILY NEWS
Home-Visiting
Our home-visiting service is continuing to be very successful with our five family support
co-ordinators and 97 volunteers giving practical and emotional support to over 100 families
across the Borough of Richmond.
Parent and Child Music Group
A new Music Group started on 8th March for parents and children at Strawberry Hill House in
Twickenham. For more information, contact Claire Leighton on 020 8744 3124 or
claire.leighton@strawberryhillhouse.org.uk.
Kew Gardens Outing
Over 100 parents and children enjoyed a free trip to Kew
Gardens, thanks to their Community Group Scheme. The
staff, volunteers and families enjoyed walking in the
beautiful grounds and sat together for a picnic lunch. The
highlight for the children was running around Climbers
and Creepers play area, followed by an ice cream treat.
Christmas Party
The Home-Start Richmond Family Christmas Party welcomed seventy-eight parents and children
on 8th December. Everyone loved the tea and cake, making letters for Santa and songs and
games with the entertainer Deva Armstrong.
Santa came and gave presents to all the children and wished everyone a very Merry Christmas.
Many thanks to the staff and congregation of St Stephen’s Church for donating some presents,
plus to trustee Steven Lowry, Steven Papworth and the White Hart Inn for their cash donations
for presents, plus a special thank you to Roger (Co-ordinator Julie’s Dad) for his very special role
on the day. Many thanks also to all the staff and volunteers who came along to help out.
FUNDRAISING NEWS
Carol Service
One of our long-serving volunteers, Pat Macdonald-Brown, raised a
record £10,000 from our 3rd Christmas Carol Service at St Mary’s
Church, Barnes. About 300 local people braved the snow, including
the Mayor of Richmond upon Thames, Cllr David Marlow, Zac
Goldsmith MP, and several famous names from TV and theatre.
After the Reverend Richard Sewell had welcomed the congregation,
there were readings from actors Patricia Hodge, Jan Ravens, Hilary
Whitehall and Edward de Souza plus Zac Goldsmith. The Harrodian
School Choir started off the singing with a beautiful solo of Once in
Royal David’s City and Baroness Susan Kramer, our Patron, made a
strong appeal for donations.
Thanks once again to Pat and her team of helpers for all their hard
work as well as those who bought tickets and gave so generously.
Pembroke Lodge Fundraising Dinner
Local famous faces from TV helped to raise around £7,000 in October last year. Julie Peasgood
from Brookside and Emmerdale, John Altman from Eastenders and Gary Webster from Minder all
supported our 15th Anniversary Dinner at Pembroke Lodge, Richmond Park.
The dinner was organised and hosted by Home-Start Richmond supporters Frances and Neil
Spurrier, helped by their son Charlie who performed stand up comedy, son James who ran the
disco and daughter Annabel who donated her professional make-up expertise to the Auction of
Promises. The event was supported by Gregory Rowcliffe Milners Solicitors and Aston Rose,
Chartered Surveyors and John Williams from Aston Rose acted as Auctioneer, selling off over
£2300 worth of Promises on the night.
A big thank you goes to the Spurrier family plus all the trustees, volunteers and supporters who
bought tickets and donated raffle and auction prizes.
Royal Parks Half-Marathon
Many thanks to Daragh Fagan (trustee Lisa Peacock’s husband) who ran the
Royal Parks half-marathon on behalf of Home-Start. He finished in a fantastic
time of 1hr38m18s and raised over £1500, to be shared by Home-Start
Richmond and Home-Start UK.
Clear Pub Quiz
Staff from Richmond based Marketing Consultancy Clear raised £385 from a pub quiz in aid of
Home-Start Richmond, as well as generously donating a Wii to the raffle at the Pembroke Lodge
Dinner. Many thanks to our contact Simon Garnett (trustee Su Garnett’s son) as well as all the
Clear employees who attended and donated to these events.
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VOLUNTEER NEWS
Richmond May Fair Ball - 13th May - Prizes needed
We are delighted to be one of the beneficiaries of the 18th Richmond May
Fair Ball 2011 (with Three Wings Trust and Orange Tree Theatre).
The evening comprises a champagne reception, high quality 4 course
meal plus wine and coffee. There will also be a champagne bar, a
chocolate fountain and vodka ice luges, an amazing raffle and auctions
plus dancing until 1am.
Last year’s Ball raised
£44,000. We are a
beneficiary in 2011
As money is made from sponsorship, advertising, raffle, silent auction
and a main live auction, we would love to receive any donations or
suggestions for these. If you can support us or would like to find out
more, contact Angie Ahmed at the office on 020 8487 8500 or
angie@homestart-richmond.org.uk.
Volunteer Training
The Spring Volunteer Preparation Course started in January with 12 people attending. We will
also be running new volunteer training courses starting in April and September, so if you know
anyone who might be interested, we would love to hear from them 020 8487 8500 or
info@homestart-richmond.org.uk.
If you would like attend any of the Volunteer Support Groups (details below) just let us know.
The 24th Volunteer Preparation Course took
place in September 2010 and included speakers
from the Child Protection Team, Victim Support,
Mediation in Divorce, Library Service and others.
Our 17 new volunteers are (L to R): Imelda
O’Regan, Angela Norris, Geraldine Dobbie,
Chris Smith, Jane Spencer, Pru Beale, Amanda
Lockyer, Nellie Boxer, Yvonne Griffin, Mirna
Jezik and Tracey Taylor. Plus, not in the picture,
Jasbir Baga, Robert Hesketh, Lisa Moore and
Olwen Revill.
Accreditation
Congratulations to volunteers Deborah Gibbons, Imke Jonsson, Simmi Sehmi, Rebecca Sidell
Dawson and Vicki Snow whose Accreditation Options have been completed and approved by the
Open College Network in the last few months, with five more pending. Ten volunteers on the
current Spring 2011 course have also chosen the accreditation option.
Diary Dates for 2011
Volunteer Preparation Course
27 April- 6 July
26th Volunteer Preparation Course
Volunteer Support Groups
10 May (10am-12.30pm) Safeguarding Refresher
7 June (10am-12pm)
First Support Group
28 June (10am-12pm)
Support Group, speaker TBC
Future Events
Friday 13 May
Richmond May Fair Ball (see above)
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Open to all volunteers
For newly trained volunteers
Open to all volunteers
OTHER NEWS
15th Anniversary
Over 50 supporters came along to help to celebrate our 15th
Anniversary. Volunteers, staff, funders, trustees, childcare
professionals, the Mayor and other supporters came to a short
AGM followed by a lively Christmas lunch. Guest speaker, Julie
Broad from the Health Visiting Service, spoke about the
essential role that Home-Start Richmond plays in supporting
local families in difficulties.
Mayor Cllr David Marlow, Martina Philips,
Neil Spurrier and Founder June Demont
The Mayor awarded accreditation and long service certificates.
Special mention was made of volunteer Lyn Halstead and Vice-Chair Neil Spurrier who have both
supported Home-Start Richmond since its beginning in 1995.
Staff and Trustee News
We are pleased that we have been successful in tendering to provide “Family Support to Families
of Younger Children” in the Borough. However, the amount received will be 30% less than last
year and, as a result, we are reviewing our services to make sure we use our funds as efficiently
as possible. Our core home-visiting service will remain our highest priority and staff and
volunteers will continue to work closely with vulnerable families, providing practical and
emotional support and helping them to access other community resources.
Sadly, part of the restructuring will include closing our Family Groups and some other smaller
projects and soon we will have to say goodbye to staff members Doreen Bose, Jan Malone,
Shelagh Shaw and Tania Turner. They will be sorely missed by colleagues and the Board of
Trustees would like to thank them for all their hard work over the years.
In other news, in the Autumn we welcomed Frances Kitson to the Board of Trustees as
Company Secretary. Frances has lived in Mortlake for 24 years and has a background in law and
book publishing but now works in the Government Legal Service at the Department for Business.
Thanks to our fundraisers & funders
We receive donations in cash or kind from generous
supporters of Home-Start Richmond. Thank you to all
our monthly Gift Aid donors as well as special thanks
to St Mary’s Barnes and Janine Peake for their
donations; Kew Gardens for the free entrance tickets;
Rotary Club of Richmond for their donation to the
children’s Easter Egg Hunt; St Elizabeth of Portugal
church for the Lenten lunches; and all of those
volunteers, trustees and supporters who attended the
events last year and donated money and prizes.
RICHMOND PARISH LANDS CHARITY
Hampton Fuel Allotment Charity
The Barnes Workhouse Fund
Home-Start Richmond upon Thames
Scheme Manager Martina Philips Senior Co-ordinator Chris Mahoney
Co-ordinators Rachel Lazarides, Julie Papworth, Nicki Strong, Sarah Tully
Scheme & Finance Administrator Linda Haslam Family Group Coordinator Doreen Bose
Family Group Assistant Jan Malone Marketing & Fundraising Officer Angie Ahmed
Family Support Worker Tania Turner Patron Baroness Susan Kramer
Home-Start Richmond upon Thames, Room 211, Parkway House, Sheen Lane, East Sheen, SW14 8LS
020 8487 8500 info@homestart-richmond.org.uk www.homestart-richmond.org.uk Registered
Charity No 1108975 Company Limited by Guarantee in England and Wales No. 5386801
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