Reaching Communities Lottery Award
We are really excited to be able to share with you our fantastic news.
All of Kerry’s hard work has meant that we have been awarded £292,039 over 3 years to run additional services to support you, our families.
The funding means that we have been able to increase the hours Kerry has available to support our families and that we will be able to provide some activities/trips that the whole family will be able to attend. In addition to this we will be recruiting more members of staff, one to actively promote the Charity
as a wonderful place to work, which hopefully will attract more youth workers and hopefully 2 more leaders to enable us to run social skills activities for our older young people in the evenings.
None of this funding would have been possible without the National Lottery players who raise over £30 million a week for good causes across the UK.
A Hair Cut With A Cause!
Our leader Meg is braving the chop next month, helping to raise funds for ourselves and donating her hair to The Little Princess Trust. If you can, please consider sponsoring her – at least 12 inches of her hair will be donated!
Meg has set up a just giving page for donations or if you would prefer you can send a donation to the office or a session or use the QR code below. Here is the just giving link: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/megan-chambers
For Sale
We have been asked by one of our parents to advertise their tandem for them.
The tandem is a Retro Red Pedego electric assist 7 speed tandem. It comes with
• A hand throttle to aid pulling off at junctions or walking with the tandem
• Standard valve white wall tyres.
There are some light surface scratches mostly near the chain and on the pannier rack. There is also a hairline crack on the display screen, but this doesn’t affect its operation.
You are welcome to view the tandem, and it can be delivered within a 50-mile radius of Hereford at the expense of the buyer. Please contact Nickatie Morgan on 07866 474041 to find out more about the tandem.
For Sale Volkswagen Caravelle 2018 (68 reg)
We have been asked by the owner of this vehicle to share the for sale link with our families. Please note that we are only advertising the vehicle not making any recommendations.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208239062632
December Highlights
We held 2 sessions during December, they were at Blackmarston School and a Santa Safari at West Midland Safari Park. More photos can be found on out Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/MarchesFamilyNetwork
Here are just a few of the highlights.
What Would You Like to See?
Are there any topics you would like us to cover in future newsletters? Please email play@marchesfamilynetwork.org.uk with any suggestions.
Do You Know Anyone Who?
Do you know anyone who would like a job where they can make a difference to so many people?
We’re looking for people to join us as Volunteers, Youth Workers, Youth Leaders and an Office Administrator. If you know anyone who may be interested, please direct them to our website or get them to ring the office. The more staff we have, the more places we are able to provide at sessions, so please spread the word.
We have many roles a volunteer could help us with, so if you know anyone with some free time who would like to help us, please ask them to speak to Rae.
Trustees Wanted
We currently have 6 trustees but would love more. Do you know anyone who can spare a few hours a month to help our existing trustees run our charity?
The Trustee Board is responsible for setting the strategy and policies for the Charity and supporting the office staff.
To find out more about joining the Board, please contact Rae on 01568 614908 or email her on deputymanager@marchesfamilynetwork.org.uk
A Common Bond
We have been asked to share the notice below by A Common Bond. This is an event organised by them. Please note that this is not a Marches Family Network Event.
FII allegations in Herefordshire?
Come and find out more
Friday 10th February
In July, it was suggested that the rate of FII allegations in Herefordshire is significantly higher than the national average: a claim that Herefordshire Council has rejected.
Professor Luke Clements, Cerebra Professor of Law and Social Justice at the School of Law at the University of Leeds, is currently researching the nature and prevalence of allegations of Fabricated or Induced Illness in England and has worked with families who have been falsely accused. The consequences of false FII allegations can be devastating for families. Luke’s research suggests that disproportionate numbers of families with disabled children experience FII allegations, as do families where a parent or child are neurodiverse. Luke will talk about his research, and this will be followed by a discussion aimed at better understanding what has occurred in Herefordshire. Luke is unable to give legal advice on individual cases.
Sarah Westoby, a human rights lawyer at Leigh Day working on FII cases, will also attend the meeting. Sarah has been contacted by a number of individuals raising their concerns and will listen to families’ stories to consider whether she would be able to help them by investigating their cases further. Sarah will be able to provide an overview of the law in this area and answer questions.
Cerebra has provided a link to various on-line resources which can be accessed at https://cerebra.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Support-Resources.pdf.
This event will be of interest to families who have experienced accusations of this kind, social workers, Children’s Services managers, health professionals and County Councillors.
Come and join us at Hereford Rowing Club on Friday 10th February, from 12- 2pm.
The meeting is free, all welcome.
Can You Help Us Please?
If you have any feedback about our sessions or any part of our service, please let us know.
You can provide feedback via our website – https://www.marchesfamilynetwork.co.uk/forms/family-feedback.
Feedback can help us improve our services and secure funding to provide future sessions.
Can You Help Us?
We now have many ways that you can help us raise funds that won’t cost you anything. That’s right it is FREE for you!
We are now recycling empty printer ink cartridges to raise funds and, more importantly, reduce what is going to landfill. If you have any cartridges to recycle, you can take them to a session or drop them off at the office. Alternatively, if you have returned to working in an office, why not ask your employer to host a collection box for us?
If you shop regularly with Amazon, you can register with Amazon Smile and nominate Marches Family Network as your chosen charity. Then you simply shop at smile.amazon.co.uk
If you shop regularly using the internet, we have registered with The Giving Machine and Easy Fundraising. You need to register with them and select us as your chosen charity. Then, if you use their browser extension to find the retailer you want to shop with, your purchases will generate a donation for us.
Finally, do you know a pub, shop, garden centre or anywhere that will be happy to host one of our red collection boxes? If you do, can you let Rae know so that she can arrange to speak to the owner and arrange for a box to be left.
If You Need Additional Help and Support
With the increasing costs of living, please remember there are organisations (both local and national) that may be able to help you, some of those can be found on pages 7 and 9 of this newsletter.
Page 9 is a list of some of the local organisations we have been made aware of that may be able to help. These organisations accept self-referrals.
Page 10 of this newsletter is a list of some of the local organisations we have been made aware of that may be able to help. These organisations do not accept self-referrals, please contact the office and we will be able to advise on the next step.
You may also find help and advice on the following websites
• https://helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk/, this has been set up by the government to help anyone who may need help.
• 101 energy saving tips https://keepherefordshirewarm.co.uk/advice/energy-101/
• CAB www.citizensadvice.org.uk and www.herefordshirecab.org.uk/
• Energy Saving Trust www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/
• Smart Energy GB www.smartenergygb.org/
• Scope – Disability Energy Support www.scope.org.uk/disability-energy-support
• Stepchange www.stepchange.org
• National Debt Line www.nationaldebtline.org
• National Energy Action www.nea.org.uk
Energy Support Funding for Vulnerable Families
Consumer Rights are helping vulnerable households access a 4 Billion pound government fund, available nationwide for fully funded home improvements such as insulation, efficient heating and renewables. Their aim is to help keep down energy costs through the ongoing energy crisis for those most in need. There is no cost to the homeowner, tenant or landlord.
They have created an online tool to check if a property qualifies, which takes less than 2 minutes and can be filled out by a caregiver if required.
To check if you are eligible, the link is www.consumer-rights.org & click ‘ Apply for funding ‘
Advice on support from Herefordshire Council
Organisations that accept self referrals
Herefordshire Council have produced a list of eleven organisations that provide help with food, energy, essential items and housing.
Please download by clicking the button.