June 2015 Open House

Welcome to the Summer edition for 2015 of Open House!
Remember, if you have something you’d like to mention in Open House, please let us know by 5th August and if you
have an event you’d like us to promote, please let us know by contacting Martin in Winnall or June , Lucy or Sally at
Jacksplace.
Congratulations
Your news
Huw & Chloe
Bromage
Welcome to our new colleagues
Here’s a list of them – great to have you
all on the team
Dan Stevens—Nurse
Kevin Finlay – Van Driver, Merchandising
Rosanna Hatton – Income Administrator
Liz Urwin—Clinical Team Leader
Pete & Sarah Abrahams
Chairman's Award News
Nicole Denison
won the May 2015 award
Lisa Justice won
the June 2015 award
Well done !
Shops
A "good news" football story
Football is getting a bit of a bad press
at the moment, but here’s a happier
football related story.
We recently had a large quantity of
Subbuteo items donated to our
Bitterne shop who sent it up to the
warehouse. We thought it would be a
good thing to try and sell on eBay
and our volunteer, Ian, has had great
fun sorting it all out, photographing
and listing it over the past few
weeks. One of the more unusual
items was a presentation box of
Subbuteo players, each one from a
different team and numbered 1 to
55. Ian could not find any reference
to it on the web but, realising it must be quite rare, listed it for £20.
We watched in amazement as the bidding grew fiercer and fiercer and the price went up and up.
And up and up. And up and up. (Well you get the picture).
The bidding closed at 9.00 on 27 May with the set finally selling for an extraordinary £1,700,
which has now been paid.
Was it bought by a Mr S Blatter of Switzerland? No, but the truth is almost as bizarre. The
winning bid came from Senor Casanova (yes, really) from Valencia. Olé indeed!
(Needless to say, we are over the moon).
The Dog’s Blog
I joined Lucy Butcher on a holiday to
Woolacombe, Devon. As you can see
the beach was beautiful. I was able to
practice my body surfing (in the hot
tub!) and of course I was very well
prepared with my shades and shorts.
We had great fun in the evening and I
can now pull a pint!
Dave
Out & About
This year’s Clarendon Way Walk was a record breaker in
more ways than one. Not only did we have more
participants than ever before, but between them they look
set to raise the most money we have ever netted from a
mass participation event. 1,450 fabulous supporters walked
the 26 miles from Salisbury to Winchester or the 12 mile
route from Broughton to Winchester and have so far raised
a staggering £115,000. We know this figure will continue to
climb. The Clarendon Way Walk was a great team effort,
with staff and volunteers from every department helping to
make the event a tremendous success.
We also had a record number of staff taking part this year, and
everywhere you looked along the picturesque paths of Wiltshire and
Hampshire, there seemed to be a member of our care, admin,
fundraising or marketing teams marching along with a smile on their
face. Our Trustee, Steve Radjen, walked the full marathon distance
from Salisbury to Winchester. Commenting on the walk, he said: “As
a participant, I had an amazing day and thoroughly enjoyed it. As a
Trustee of Naomi House and Jacksplace, I was incredibly proud of
what you have all achieved in making this such a great day for so
many people, and by doing this helping increase the value and
awareness of what we all do for children and families we support.”
Our next major event in support of the Caterpillar Appeal is
just around the corner. Our popular Rainbow Run is
returning to Southampton on 27th September. Last year,
hundreds of runners braved the flying paint to launch this
brand new event in Southampton city centre, and the
event was such a success that we simply had to return.
If you fancy taking on the UK’s most colourful 3k run, get in touch
with your colleagues in fundraising or visit
https://www.naomihouse.org.uk/events/showevent/
southampton-rainbow-run-2015
Here is the latest aerial view of Naomi House
and Jacksplace. As you can see the
Naomi House refurbishment is progressing
really well. The two hospices are joined by
the link bridge and work on the Naomi House
garden is starting soon.
Don’t forget you can attend Open Day on
12th September and see the refurbishment.
The HR Team, June, Lucy, Lesley, Sally and Jo, the HR volunteer, decided that
they wanted to support the Caterpillar Appeal Giving Tree by buying a leaf.
They attended the leaf placing ceremony and are the
proud owners of a certificate and their leaf is
displayed on the Giving Tree in main reception at
Jacksplace.
If you would like to purchase a leaf, please contact
Pete Abrahams in the Supporter Team on
01962 760060
In the House
We’ve been making the most of the
lovely weather by playing in the
garden
We’ve been doing lots of arts
and
crafts,
including
presents for Father’s Day,
superhero
craft
for
Children’s Hospice Week and
lots of thank you cards for all
our wonderful volunteers
during National Volunteer
Week, which took place from
1st June.
We’ve had lots of great trips
out including the Ageas
Bowl and the Boomtown
Festival
Workshop
Day,
which included lots of crafts,
dancing and smiles.
We’ve also had lots of lovely
guests including the Starlight
Storytellers!
Home Cooking
The Kitchen Team are sharing their favourite recipes with us.
We’re all waiting to try them!
Strawberry & Dark Chocolate Cheesecake
(Adapted from Food, Glorious Food book)
Serves 12
400g (13oz) mascarpone cheese
115g (3 3/4oz) icing sugar, sifted
Drop of vanilla extract
300ml (1/2 pint) double cream
1/2 punnet (approx 200g) of strawberries, hulled and sliced
Dark chocolate, to decorate
For the base
75g (3oz) unsalted butter
175g (6oz) chocolate chip cookies, crushed
Line the base of a shallow 23cm(9in) cake tin with baking parchment.
To make the base, melt the butter in a saucepan and mix in the biscuit
crumbs. Tip into the prepared tin and press down firmly and evenly with the
back of a spoon. Place in the freezer while you make the filling.
Put the mascarpone in a bowl and mix in the icing sugar and vanilla extract. Whip the cream into soft
peaks, then fold into the mascarpone mixture and add the sliced strawberries, mix gently.
Remove the biscuit base from the freezer and spoon the filling over it. Tap the tin on the work surface to
remove any air pockets, then place in the freezer for at least 2 hours.
Unmould the cheesecake from the tin and transfer to a service plate. Decorate the top with the dark
chocolate shavings or curls.
The Kitchen team tell us this is very popular in– house and it’s really easy too!
Pets Corner
Meet Fin
Fin is a cheeky and very friendly 6 month old
kitten who lives with Becky and Alex Ewing.
He loves: being outside, having his ears rubbed,
playing ‘fetch’ and pouncing out on people from
behind curtains, towels, bannisters… anything
really!
He can sleep in virtually any position and will
always sit in a box if there’s one about.
His favourite past time is pulling all the clothes off
the airing horse, just after they’ve been hung up,
and he works on the principle that pretty much
EVERYTHING is his toy and there for his
amusement!
Fin particularly loves climbing into kitchen
cupboards, so I like to close the door after him
and then ask my husband to fetch a plate or cup from there – Fin pounces out when he opens the door
and makes Alex jump every time!
Volunteer Spotlight
Meet Jo Atkinson — HR Volunteer
Jo, or Aussie Jo as she is known to us, is leaving us to
move back to her home in Australia.
She has been a huge support to the charity, and in
particular helping Lucy with the Volunteering admin and
paperwork.
She will be missed by lots, and even more so by those
who had the opportunity to try her amazing homemade
cakes!!
What made you want to volunteer?
I had volunteered in Australia for many years before moving to the UK
and found it really rewarding and fulfilling so when we moved here I
knew I wanted to do some sort of volunteer work.
Why did you choose Naomi House?
After reading about Naomi House I was rather in awe of the type of
work they do and the service they provide to people and their families
and really wanted to be part of that contribution.
What were your first impressions of Naomi House?
My first impressions of Naomi House were how open, fun and loud it was and how the staff were so incredibly
lovely and also just a little bit crazy. The brightness of the buildings and the outdoors really surprised me.
What’s been the funniest moment volunteering with Naomi House?
There are so many I'm not sure I could pick just one. Unfortunately most begin and end with something stupid
coming out of my mouth. Every day in HR has brought moments of hilarity - moments that when I even look back
on them I laugh out loud.
What is the best thing about volunteering with us ?
The best thing about volunteering with Naomi House has 2 parts for me. Firstly finding the most extraordinary
people. I have always felt so incredibly appreciated and valued and what I've ended up with is fabulous friends and
a feeling of belonging. Secondly is being able to be involved with such a fabulous place and help in some way.
Do you know anyone who would be interested in volunteering ?
We are always looking for volunteers to work in our shops, and would love you to join them.
For all volunteering opportunities please contact Lucy Butcher on 01962 763711
or by e-mail Lucy.Butcher@naomihouse.org.uk
Keeping In Touch
Hello!
This is my last CEO article for Open House. I leave Naomi House at the end of June and I must say I do so with mixed
feelings.
Firstly, I have really enjoyed my three years here as CEO. It is a wonderful cause and a great charity to be involved
with and I feel honoured to have played a small part in its work. When I came here the big question was ‘should we
refurbish Naomi House’. Now, we are virtually there with a state-of-the-art children’s hospice waiting for us to go back
into and enjoy. In 2012 I planned to stay longer than three years but it is good to see this major project almost there
now. So I will miss the great team here and working in this excellent environment of a successful and committed
charity. I have particularly enjoyed working with the Senior Management Team here who are a really high-performing
team and have made my job as CEO very easy!
Secondly, however, I am of course very excited to be going on to my new full-time role with Chelsea FC. Football has
always been my passion and a lot of my working life has been in football. So when I was made a formal offer earlier
this year I was delighted to say yes on the condition we could wait till I had moved house (which we did at the end of
May) and I could help the Board here see through the recruitment process for my successor. The work I will do at
Chelsea is in the Academy as part of the recruitment team – so it basically revolves around finding the best young
talent we can. My role as Head of Integration Recruitment essentially focuses on recruiting players via various partner
organisations like soccer schools and our own Foundation, as well as running one of our Area scouting teams. The
fact I have supported Chelsea since I was four years old makes it all extra special for me!
Finally though, it is great to be leaving the charity in such good hands. The Board has now announced that Mark Smith
is to be CEO from 1st July and I know Mark will be a great CEO – plus, of course, you a very strong and supportive
Chair in David Holmes and a very capable and experienced Board of Trustees and dedicated and supportive
colleagues. So, it is all looking very good!
Thanks for having me here and I am sure your future will be even brighter.
Best wishes,
Chris
Chief Exec’s Perspective
This year’s BBQ took place during some beautiful weather and was attended by 150 staff and volunteers from across the
organisation. It was a great pleasure to see everyone and gave me the opportunity to share my thoughts with you in my first week as
Chief Executive. I set out the brief history of the story of Naomi House under former Chief Executives and how each oversaw a period
of development of the charity from establishing the service under David Strudley, to managing the Icelandic financial situation and
building Jacksplace under Ray Kipling, to the planning and implementation of the refurbishment of Naomi House, increased medical
expertise within the teams through training and recruitment and growth in both income and reserves during Chris Robinson’s time. I
certainly intend to continue this direction of growth for the charity and have great ambitions that we become one of the leading
children’s and young adults’ hospice services in the UK. So how will we achieve it?
I believe that keeping the children, families and young people at the centre of everything we do will ensure our continued
development. That is why we are here and the reason that so many people support us so generously. It is about the people we serve
and our role, in whatever part of the charity we work in, is to deliver the promise we set out, whether that is to the families we care for,
to the people who support us and to each other as colleagues. If we are to be the charity that leads in our sector then we must keep
these core principles in mind.
Although change is inevitable, so is continuity and our task is to balance the two. The needs of families and medical technology are
changing and so we must adapt to meet these needs however, we must ensure we continue to provide the basics of high quality
care. Market conditions change meaning there may be more competition for the same funds and so we must find new ways of
reaching more people to find new income and provide excellent donor care to ensure people stay supporting us. So I ask that we
keep doing the things we do really well but challenge ourselves to improve wherever we can – balancing continuity with change.
To summarise what’s important for us as we look to become one of the leading children’s and young adults’ services in the UK:
 People are at the centre of what we do – children, young people and their families, staff, volunteers and all our supporters
 Good business practice – ensuring we raise the funds, spend money wisely, control costs, manage our resources well and
invest in our future
 A shared sense of purpose and direction – that we all play our part to the best of our ability, collaborate and share our journey
and successes together
Let’s aim to make Naomi House & Jacksplace a great place to work, a great place to visit and a great place to support.
Best wishes
Mark
Strictly Naomi House
We try to feature something special on our back page.
This time it’s the turn of Becky Ewing, Trust Fundraising Executive
What did you do before coming to Naomi House
I was living in not-so-sunny Devon (the Dartmoor side) and
working for a lovely little charity called CHICKS which offers
free respite breaks to disadvantaged children. I worked there
as a Trust Fundraiser, in a very similar role to the one I do
here.
What attracted you to us?
The first I heard about Naomi House & Jacksplace was from
an old colleague who used to bring his dog into Naomi
House as a therapy pet. When he found out I was looking for
a job in the Hampshire/Wiltshire area he said, “You need to
contact Naomi House – it’s an amazing organisation!” That
evening I discovered a Trust Fundraising role being
advertised on the website and the rest is history!
What can you remember about your interview?
It was a scorching hot day and I had driven 3 hours to get here in a pretty warm car – I was just really
impressed there was air conditioning here!
Explain your role: who do you liaise with?
So I’m the Trust Fundraiser. I’m responsible for trying to get funding from charitable Trusts and
Foundations – basically organisations that are set up with the purpose of giving money away. There are
thousands of Trusts registered in the UK, each with their own areas of interest, so a big part of my job is
finding a project or service that will interest them, and this can result in donations of anything from £100
to £100,000! My role is mostly application based, so I’m almost always found at my desk in the
Fundraising office.
When you talk to people about Naomi House & Jacksplace, what reaction do you get?
Almost everyone I speak to instantly gets how important it is to provide support for the families of lifelimited children and young people, however their initial reaction is normally “Ahh, it must be so sad to
work there”. One thing I always try to get across is what a happy place Naomi House & Jacksplace can
be.
What’s the best thing about being in Fundraising?
Probably the constant supply of cake! But seriously, the team here are fantastic – I’m always inspired to
see how much everyone goes that extra mile for Naomi House.
What’s the weirdest or bravest thing you’ve done in the name of a good cause?
I did jump out of a plane last year for another charity… My husband signed me up without asking and I
was terrified! But it was the best experience – we jumped over Perranporth and had beautiful views all
the way down the Cornish coastline. (So next time it’ll be for Naomi House, eh, says our Editor!)
And finally, Saturday nights: X Factor or Strictly? What song would you sing or what dance
would you perform if you were to appear on either?!
I actually don’t have a TV! But I do like to watch Strictly if I can. I think I’d love to do something fairly
upbeat – like a Jive. Can I have Aljaz?