Adventure Challenge Lined Up For Coronation Bank Holiday

Adventure Challenge Lined Up For Coronation Bank Holiday

Derbyshire’s specialist child exploitation charity, Safe and Sound, is inviting people to spend the King’s Coronation bank holiday tackling an action-packed fundraising challenge.

Monday May 8 has been declared a Bank Holiday following the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and people are being encouraged to join the Big Help Out and make a change in their local communities.

Last year, Safe and Sound supported a record 343 children and young people aged eight and above who had been victims of or at risk of child exploitation including online grooming sexual exploitation, County Lines, trafficking, modern slavery and radicalisation. The charity also supported 40 families whose lives had been affected by exploitation.

The charity heavily depends on fundraising to pay for its specialist 121 and group support, outreach and positive youth activities programmes.

Safe and Sound’s ‘Earth Wind and Fire’ adventure challenge starts with a morning walk around the Peak District or Darley Park.  This will followed by a 80ft abseil off Miller’s Dale Bridge in the Peak District and the day will finish with a late afternoon fire walk on burning coals at Darley Abbey Mills.

Participants can join individual challenges or all of the activities and the sponsorship money raised will go towards supporting Safe and Sound’s programmes for young people and families.

Safe and Sound CEO Tracy Harrison explained: “We have been planning our ‘Earth, Wind and Fire’ adventure challenge for several months and when the Big Help Out was announced as part of the Coronation weekend, we thought it would be the perfect day for our three-pronged fundraising event.

“We last did the ‘Leap of Faith’ sponsored abseil on February 29 2020 when 39 brave supporters helped us raise more than £10,000 so we hope to smash that target this year.

“I will of course be joining in and I look forward to welcoming many others who are keen to put something back into their local community, help support our work and raise awareness of the growing dangers of exploitation facing young people both online and in our local communities.”

For more information and to sign up for the ‘Earth Wind and Fire’ adventure challenge, please visit https://www.safeandsoundgroup.org.uk/earth-wind-and-fire-adventure-challenge/

Warm Welcome For Local Families

Warm Welcome For Local Families

Derbyshire’s specialist child exploitation charity, Safe and Sound, has launched a ‘warm welcome’ support programme for the families they support in the city, thanks to Government’s Household Support Fund (HSF) administered through Derby City Council and Derby Communication Action.

The long-established charity will provide hot meals, energy and food vouchers, family activities as well as support and advice sessions every Friday until the end of March between 11am and 5pm.

The warm welcome sessions will be hosted by leading apprenticeships provider EMA Training in Siddals Road, Derby, as part of their commitment to supporting the well-being of local communities in the city and beyond.

The initiative has been funded through Derby’s Winter Asset Grant which aims to invest up to £300,000 across the city to support community assets within localities to support householders facing financial hardship. Although all the families supported by Safe and Sound across the city will be welcome to attend, the charity estimates that around 20 adults and children will attend a week to have a warm drink and meal.

Safe and Sound CEO Tracy Harrison explained: “Having initially specialised in supporting children and young people who are victims of or at risk of child exploitation, we now support the wider family including parents and siblings whose lives are also impacted by this
trauma.

“Although any child is at risk of these heinous crimes – financial hardship can make them more vulnerable to grooming and particularly sexual and criminal exploitation. We have therefore focused on doing all we can to ease the emotional, practical and financial pressures that our families face.”

“Our role is to engage, advocate and support families to work with other agencies more effectively and help them all to positively move forward with their lives.”

Mrs Harrison continued: “The sessions will give our families a welcome break to have a hot meal together, speak directly to our team about further support they need and enjoy activities together which are often a welcome break from the traumas and pressures they face.

“Being part of the city’s Warm Welcome network will enable us to relieve some of the financial hardship facing the families we work with by ensuring their homes are warmer and they have nutritious food to enjoy at the sessions and at home.”

“Many of our young people and their families have really valued support from the Government’s HAF project during school holidays in the past two years and I know that they will benefit from this support.”

Tracey Mosley is CEO of EMA Training which has been recognised as ‘Good’ by Ofsted and won the Small Business of the Year award at the East Midlands Chamber Derbyshire business awards last year.

She said: “Positive collaborations are an important part of the work we do to support young people and adults into apprenticeships to meet businesses’ growth plans. I am therefore delighted to be working with Safe and Sound to host these warm welcome sessions.

“Our central location close to the bus station and carparking makes these sessions easily accessible for families across the city and I hope many will feel encouraged to find out more about apprenticeship and training opportunities available whilst they are here.”

For more information about the work of Safe and Sound and how to support them, please visit www.safeandsoundgroup.org.uk.

Media enquiries: Sarah Jenkin-Jones, JJPR, Tel: 01332 515102/07951 945665;
[email protected]

Partnership Project Success Recognised

Partnership Project Success Recognised

The contribution made by Safe and Sound to an innovative city-wide inclusion project has been recognised at a prestigious awards evening.

The Derby County Community Trust (DCCT) 2022 annual awards were held at Pride Park – attended by a wide range of participants, staff, supporters and stakeholders. The glittering event celebrated key aspects of the Trust’s work to make a difference in communities across Derby and Derbyshire – helping with their educational needs to improve their health, offering support, providing purpose or simply extending the hand of friendship.

The Inclusion Project which brings together DCCT, Safe and Sound, Baby People and Bridge the Gap, won the Community Impact Award in recognition of the outstanding contribution it has made to the wider local community.

The project has worked with more than 900 children and young people since its inception. Partners involved offer a huge range of activities aimed at increasing the capacity and capability of mainstream schools to provide effective inclusion interventions and support vulnerable students as well as delivery community-based hubs to offer further support.

Safe and Sound CEO Tracy Harrison explained: “I am delighted that the Inclusion Project, which brings together expertise from a number of different organisations, has been recognised with this award.

“The DCCT awards are a highlight in the city’s voluntary sector calendar – highlighting the positive impact that they and a wide range of other organisations play in local people’s lives. “As a local charity, Safe and Sound greatly value the partnerships that we have in the city and county and look forward to developing these further to support people through challenging and sometimes devastating times in their lives.”

Healthy Summer Fun And Support With Safe and Sound

Healthy Summer Fun And Support With Safe and Sound

Derbyshire’s specialist child exploitation charity, Safe and Sound, have supported more than 100 young people and families over the summer with a bespoke Holiday Activities and Food programme (HAF).

Around 1,800 meals, including those prepared by professional chefs at Butler’s Pantry in Burnaston, have been delivered to families over the past six weeks.

Meanwhile, young people enjoyed an array of activities including a private cinema screening at QUAD, fishing, boxing, BMX and basketball coaching sessions, days out to visitor attractions and the opportunity to learn practical skills such as woodwork and bath bombs.

The HAF programme is part of Safe and Sound’s grassroots work to support local children and young people who have been victims of exploitation or who are at risk of becoming exploited and was in addition to the charity’s specialist one-to-one support for young people and their families to enable them to take back control of their lives.

Tracy Harrison is CEO of Safe and Sound which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year of supporting young people and families across the city and county.

She explained: “This was our most ambitious HAF programme to date and the feedback from the young people we support and their families has been incredible.”

“The meals and delivery of menu stock cupboard essentials have been a lifeline for many
families who were dreading how they would put food on the table due to the cost of living
crisis.”

“Furthermore, positive activities for young people of all ages have helped to re-build their
self-confidence and resilience and, most importantly, have given them memorable
experiences that they will always remember.”

“The staff and volunteers at Safe and Sound have been amazing – going above and beyond
to deliver the summer programme – and we are extremely grateful to the businesses and
organisations who ensured that the activities were such a resounding success.”

“We are now planning our October holiday activities and Christmas HAF programmes which
will give everyone something to look forward to as we enter the Autumn and be a fitting
end to our busy 20th anniversary year.”

For more information about the work of Safe and Sound and how to support them during
their 20th anniversary year, please visit www.safeandsoundgroup.org.uk

Media enquiries: Sarah Jenkin-Jones, JJPR, Tel: 01332 515102/07951 945665;
[email protected]

Wathalls – September Anniversary Champion Supporting Safe & Sound

Wathalls – September Anniversary Champion Supporting Safe & Sound

Our Anniversary Champion for September 2022 is Wathalls. Read this blog to learn more about them and why they have chosen to support us:

Company name, website and social media handles:

Wathall’s website: https://www.wathalls.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Wathalls/ @Wathalls
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Wathalls @Wathalls
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wathalls/

Overview of what your company/organisation does:

Family-owned Wathall’s is Derby’s longest-established family-owned funeral director with offices in Derby, Allestree, Alvaston, Borrowash, Ashbourne and Burton-on-Trent.

  • Our services include:
  • Funeral arranging
  • Pre-paid funeral plans
  • Headstone design, creation and installation
  • Bereavement support

The company, established since 1858, is headed by Helen Wathall MBE who is the fifth generation of her family to run the business. She has now been joined by daughters Charlotte and Bec who are both learning the business from grassroots level. They continue the Wathall family’s long-held commitment to providing a high quality and affordable service which is completely focused on the family and their loved one’s wishes and supporting the local communities that we serve.

Why have you supported Safe and Sound as an anniversary sponsor?

There is a link to Safe and Sound and the work we do through Dandelions Bereavement Support as bereavement is often a trigger for young people to feel isolated and become vulnerable to grooming – particularly through online social media channels. “We are therefore keen to contribute to the Safe and Sound anniversary year to support this local charity to expand the scope of their work and support even more young people.

Are you planning any special fundraising or awareness raising events as part of your sponsorship?

Wathall’s are also donating a number of computers to the charity for use by young people and their families. Plans for the future include providing bereavement support training for the Safe and Sound team to be able to support the children, young people people and families that they work with through bereavement.

Have you appointed a Safe and Sound Champion within you’re your company: name, title and a key message form them about what they hope to achieve as your Safe and Sound champion?

Bec Wathall, Business Development Manager: “We have supported Safe and Sound for several years and the charity was the first recipient of A Wathall’s Wish initiative which helps organisations who share our ethos of supporting people at difficult times in their lives. “We are delighted to be supporting the charity in this their 20th anniversary year and our commitment includes learning more about and sharing information about the work they do and the dangers that young people face both online and in person.”

What would your message be to the young people and families that Safe and Sound supports?

Please remember that you bring to this world things that nobody else can bring.

 

Pedal Power Reaps Rewards For Charity

Pedal Power Reaps Rewards For Charity

Commercial property specialist Mark Richardson, who is a partner at BB&J Commercial in The Wyvern, Derby, has raised more than £1,000 for local specialist child exploitation charity Safe and Sound.

Mark is the charity’s chair of trustees and pledged to cycle the 150 mile coast to coast route in one day as part of BB&J Commercial’s support for Safe and Sound’s 20th anniversary year. The challenging route from Seascale on the west coast, through the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, Vale of York and North Yorkshire Moors to Whitby on the east coast took Mark 10½ hours to complete in blistering heat.

Mark said: “As well as heading the board of trustees who all bring professional skills to the table and raising awareness across our networks of the dangers facing children and young people in our local communities, I am glad that I have been able to put my love of cycling to good use and raise money for this great charity.

“I have been cycling for about ten years and, during that time, I have done some memorable endurance rides in the UK and Europe including three road routes in one day up Mont Ventoux in France to celebrate my 50th birthday. “This time, it was far hotter than forecast and there were some tough climbs but my companions and I had done a lot of training in the Peak District which held us in good stead.

“People are still pledging money and I hope to hit my £1,500 target in the coming weeks. This will be put to great use by the team at Safe and Sound who are doing a fantastic job supporting and protecting young people and their families whose lives have been affected by child exploitation.

“I am now looking forward to planning my next fundraising challenge which may involve two wheels – or something totally different.”

Safe and Sound CEO Tracy Harrison added: “We are very grateful to Mark for his commitment to the charity both with his business hat and cycling helmet on! We depend greatly on the generosity of individuals, organisations and businesses to raise money for our work so that we can keep pace with the rising demand for our help and support across the city and county due to the increase in online and in-person child exploitation.”

For more information about Safe and Sound and how to support the work it does, please visit https://safeandsoundgroup.org.uk/

Many thanks to Photographer Andy Milton for the fabulous image of Mark!