Royal Mail Letters – North East Region

As an area they decided to have a ‘Mince Pie Monday’ before Christmas. You can see below some fine efforts for the cause, there were 786 mince pies sold, 24 sausage rolls, 6 big sponge cakes, and lots of sponsorship for a combined total of £523.05.

The top performer individual fund raiser was Karen Dando, her mum made all the pies and she spent the whole day dressed as a Christmas cracker!

Most units averaged between 1/2 a pie to 1 pie per person, except Horncastle and Retford. Gary at Horncastle managed to sell 3.6 pies per member of staff ( thanks to Gary's mum ) that may have had something to do with the amount of pies he asked his mum to bake , I understand there was a bit of buy 1 get 3 free ! going on.

Top pie seller without doubt was Donna and the team at Retford. The staff there managed to sell / eat a whopping 4.9 pies per person.

The most cash was raised at Lincoln where a whopping £314 pounds was raised, very good use of costumes and sponsorship by Karen. I also think Karen's mum deserves some recognition for agreeing to make so many pies for such a large office!

Staff at Lincoln and Retford raised £1.20 per person but the most per person came from Horncastle where they raised a fabulous £1.50 per member of staff.

 Alford - 12 Pies sold - £6 excellent start to the campaign 

Retford - 279 pies - £ 70 - Very creative effort use of blow up snowman and used a retired chef to bake the pies! A brilliant campaign by all of the team good work.

  Louth  - 24 Mince Pies - £43.05 - Also creative , sold 24 sausage rolls and 6 big sponge cakes ( stewards enquiry has been lodged with regard to local challenge , there is a view from the judges that use on non standard Christmas food is an unfair advantage !!) I understand that some of the customers at Louth also got involved and baked a few cakes. So many cakes to eat, brilliant effort from Sarah and the team!!

Lincoln - 210 Mince pies - £314 - Really good idea of dressing up and raising sponsorship monies to dress up as a Christmas Cracker, can anyone top that! That's just a great marketing trick. well done to the team, I understand that next year they want the DOM to dress up as a pudding!

Market Rasen - 42 mince pies - £ 23 donated, super effort.

Mablethorpe - 21 pies sold - £21 donated, good work from the East coast team

Horncastle - 108 mince pies - £27 - Excellent piece of determined selling from Gary, sales picked up when buy 1 get 3 free was introduced.


DSM - Challenge - 90 mince pies donated - £30 - 151 miles travelled to every office on the day. Some nice snow on the way round which made the day just that little but more festive.

Royal Mail Letters – Resourcing team

The team of 55 people under took 6 challenges in one day. The Defuze centre in Coventry supports families who have suffered from Domestic Abuse – below are some comments from the Mums, Children and support workers -

I wish to convey special thanks to you and your team on behalf of the parent’s and their children, my staff and myself for a fantastic experience and wonderful opportunities for our families and our organisation.

The fact that the Challenge took place at all was amazing given the various hurdles we met along the way, particularly the dreadful weather/travel conditions and illness. These were met with such resilience, enthusiasm and resolve from everyone concerned.

As you can well imagine we have already received considerable feedback by telephone from the families and the volunteers. Everyone is talking with such passion about the experiences with your individual teams, here are some of the comments I have received over today’’. Susan Parkes, Barnardo’s Children’s Service Manager

Mums:
 It was so beautiful to have all of those people in my home to help me. They were very, very nice people. My children were so excited when they got home, they loved their wardrobes.

At first I was a bit overwhelmed to have so many people in my home but they were so nice to me. Nothing was too much trouble. They were so easy to talk to and they worked really hard. I’m going to write a letter to thank them. It’s like 60 minute makeover on the telly.

They were all really nice people, everyone got on with each other and were very positive. Nothing was too much trouble. There was a lovely atmosphere in my home yesterday. The kids loved it when they got home. We think our dining room is really posh. I can’t believe how much they did in a day and what a good job they made of it. Can I send a thank you card to them? I want to write to the Coventry Telegraph and tell them how great Royal Mail is.

The Children were over the moon when they came home. My son went to bed at 7.30pm and didn’t come downstairs all night... he never does that! I couldn’t sleep last night I was so excited. I have moved so many times and always had to do this myself it was so supportive to have this help and I feel that there is light at the end of the tunnel. It’s amazing how different the house feels now it has been freshened up. They even fixed a door for me which wasn’t on the list. It’s really cheered me and my children up.

Children:
 I have to put my clothes in now Mum, I love my room. 

I’m going to sleep with my hippo…. And she did

I love this room Mum, my curtains are ace (Liverpool FC)

The three boys ran all over the house and then helped mum put the personal belongings back together. They said they loved the painting and the dining room.

I do love my room Mum.

What an improvement, I love the pink. My curtains are really silky and the room is so much brighter


Staff and co-residents of Cornerstone Centre
What a difference!

It’s so modern and fresh now

Children are going to feel more comfortable in here.

I think children are more likely to talk and be more open if they are comfortable. It feels kind of safe.

We need to change the name of the room, it doesn’t go anymore; let’s have a competition for children to name it. 

We could never have achieved anything like this ourselves.

They worked really hard and they were good fun.


I hope that you got a feel for the difference this will make the families who have all suffered in various ways. Thank you for making it so much easier for them to have visitors in their home through the respect, generosity and kindness your teams afforded them. At Defuze our families had a great day, as did our staff and volunteers. Many thanks for your continued support to Barnardo’s we think you are all fabulous’’.

If you would like to get involved in a project like this and really make a difference to a child’s life – give Sue Cullen a ring on 07725 704750

The team organised their second Bling and Buy sale that went really well, people donated absolutely loads of fabulous bling and they made £287.64, after RM has matched it, a total of £487.64.

They also a Valentines cake sale, with a prize for the best home made cake and within an hour had fed everybody in the office with a slice of cake at a £1 a slice, and made £155, again to be matched so £310 in total.

It went so well they are thinking of having a 'themed' cake sale every couple of months or so.

Star People - Post Office Supply Chain

In conjunction with Barnardos and Coton House Management centre who kindly allowed use of the venue on a Saturday, a group of Managers from Post Office Supply Chain consisting of Supply Chain Unit Managers, Operational Managers, and Fleet Managers organised a Thank You Party at Coton House Rugby on Saturday 23 January 210, for 50 Foster Carers and 16 children.

The funds used to make this a special day were kindly donated from Supply Chain Units across the country.

The event was at the request of the East Midlands Placement Service to provide a “Thank You Celebration” party for Foster carers in the Midlands during Foster Carers week. The following letter of thanks from Barnardos sums up what a wonderful day it was for all concerned;

“On behalf of us all at East Midlands Family Placement Service, I am writing to thank you and your staff for organising the Foster Carer Celebration Event on Saturday.
We all agree it was fantastic, the Royal Mail staff were excellent and made a really good day for all of us.

They were brilliant with the children and carers alike and everyone had a brilliant time and really enjoyed themselves. The carers enjoyed the quiz and bingo, which gave them an opportunity to chat and have fun, whilst the children were looked after by your team, some in the quiet craft area, some playing pool and others having fun on the Wii.
Drinks were available at any time along with numerous boxes of chocolates that were circulating. All our carers and children agree the event was one of the best, most professional events we have hosted.

 We would like to thank you for your hospitality and for your generosity.  The raffle prizes were very much appreciated as were the other prizes you provided. Everything went smoothly and was well organised.

We and the carers felt very pampered and relaxed.  A special thank you also for the photos, this was the icing on the cake. Once again, please accept our sincere thanks to you and your team’’.

Gillian Joyce, National Fleet manager in Post Office Supply chain said” The whole experience was very rewarding, and once again would not have been possible without the fund-raising efforts of our teams across the country. And in addition to this a further £83.20 was raised on the day from guests and helpers in aid of the Haiti Appeal’’.

Fundraising for Barnardos

Kick start 2010 with the Barnardo’s Big 5km - there’s still time to register for the Leeds event on the 14th March.

Runners and non-runners alike are invited to take part in the Barnardo’s Big 5km to be held in South Leeds Stadium on the 14th March.
 
For the first time, Barnardo’s is organising a 1km run for children under 10 to take place before the main event.
There will also be a range of activities for the whole family afterwards, so it will be a real family event!

Registration for the event is £10 for the 5km race and entrants are encouraged to raise £100.

Whilst for the mini 1km race, the entry fee is just £5 and children are asked to try and raise £20.  To register and find out more visit www.big5km.co.uk

Volunteering Opportunities

Helping in practical ways, such as taking children on outings, supporting our local projects, cheering, marshalling, being that ‘extra pair of hands’ at our events or taking on a gardening or decorating challenge.

 Could you roll up your sleeves and help with a DIY? Or help us organise a party for thank our carers?

 Here are just a few areas where you can help out:

Wales

Help create a sensory garden at Barnardo’s Rural Family Service in Llangefni.

 London/Essex

Volunteers required for two day trips planned for Indigo Young Carers service.


6th April - Barnardo’s are hoping to take 14 young people to visit Mountfitchet Castle.  There will be 7 Barnardo's staff also attending.

 15th April - Lamsboune end is another day trip that Barnardo’s would like to take 8 of their young people out to.  There would be 5 Barnardo's staff as well to support the group.

 South West - Two painting and decorating challenges around stores in Somerset and Dorset

If you think you can help out with any of these opportunities, please contact Sue Cullen.

February update

If you’re looking for something to do with your spare time, make note of some of the exciting opportunities we currently have available.

Did you know?

• 25% of children in the UK eat their only hot meal at school*

• 31% of children in Inner London live in poverty*

• 33% of British families are surviving on just £10 each day**

*Child poverty action group **National Statistics online


This month Barnardo’s launched an emergency appeal, like most other charities Barnardo’s has been affected by the recession, which has impacted all areas of fundraising.

It has also particularly affected the gifts in wills field, as house and share prices drop so have the value of these gifts. Although Barnardo’s supporters have remained generous and most are still rallying around supporting the charity with what they can the total deficit will be approx *£1.2 million.

Julie’s Story

Barnardo’s helps families who are in the trap of the poverty cycle. Cornerstone a project in West Yorkshire is an example of a project that helps families like Julie’s.

Julie is the mother of three children, aged ten, three and two. She went on maternity leave just as the economy took a downturn. Shortly afterwards her company made a swathe of redundancies and she was unable to return to work.
Then her partner walked out. One moment Julie was able to provide for her children, the next, she was struggling to cover expenses like utility bills, clothes and food. She was on the brink - the expense of, say, a broken fridge could have tipped her over the edge and forced her to take out and extortionate loan from a disreputable moneylender.

But after hearing about Cornerstone through friends, Julie and her family have been going there for all kinds of support. In structured sessions at the Parent and Toddler Group, her two youngest children play with toys and enjoy storybooks -
Julie received tips from the project and the other families about surviving on a tight budget, and sometimes she is given second hand clothes the children. Thanks to Pauline’s encouragement, she has even enrolled in college and passed her first year exams with flying colours.

Julie’s courage is remarkable, but her experiences are far from unique. With unemployment rising and increased financial pressures, more families like Julie’s will be coming to Barnardo’s and the shortfall in income will make it harder to help them. If you would like to help further visit www.barnardos.org.uk for more information.

Post Office – Swindon Stock Centre

Swindon Stock Centre have set up a new CSR group and with their first event has raised £600 for Barnardo's by organising a 'bring and buy' cake sale.

They also raised £817.00 for Children in Need by organizing a disco, fancy dress, quiz, bring & buy, raffle (including winning a Warehouse Manager for the day), car washing etc and sponsored head shave.

Parcelforce score a strike with Spectrum

A small team from Parcelforce volunteered on a day trip to the local bowling alley with children from Barnardo’s Spectrum project.
The day was a resounding success for the children and volunteers and friendships have been formed. Spectrum, based in Hounslow offers practical and emotional support to children with disabilities, with the view to enable them to live as full a life as possible.

Royal Mail Letters Steering Group and Thames Valley Region

On 19th November the Letters Steering Group for Barnardo's and a large group of Thames Valley regional colleagues attended Barnardos Summerfield Resource Centre to undertake a volunteering project.
The Summerfield Resource centre provides long-term residential care to disabled children and young people between the ages of seven and eighteen.
The team were set the task of decorating 3 large rooms in the centre but with a strict timescale; volunteers had to be in, all cleared up and out again whilst the children were at school - this gave the team less than 6 hours to complete the challenge!
Volunteers were briefed in the centre car park with the help of some hot bacon butties and once the children were all taken to school the volunteers got sight of the task ahead of them.
Splitting into 3 teams they got to work straight away clearing rooms of furniture, repairing and repainting walls. Bylunchtime such great progress had been made that the Team Leader Rob Jenson, Regional Operations Director for Thames Valley, decided that a further area in the centre could be tackled so a 4th team was created and set to work.
By 2.00pm all 4 rooms were completed and by 2.30pm the furniture was back in place, the floors were hoovered and the children would never have known anyone had been there except for the smell of fresh paint!
Prizes were awarded to volunteers including one for safest worker and one for most snazzy dresser on the day!

Portsmouth Cash in Transit

It all started in April 09, when as a depot they decided what they where going to do for Barnardo's this year. Some silly person, suggested the Great South Run.

Five people decided to give this ago. This meant they had to start training, something some of the staff had not done for years.

The depot really took to this, and many of the staff turned up to support them through the run.
The Five runners who took part Stephen Parker, Colin Murby Rob Dart, Colin Lansdowne and Paul Davis managed to raise £1193.50, we all did this as individuals so with the matching up to£200 we managed to raise a total of £2145.50.

‘This will was all for a great need in the children's charity Barnardo's. I already have more volunteers for next year!’

Steve Parker, CIT Shift Manager.

Bag It Up for Barnardo’s!

Barnardo’s is encouraging you to take part in a mass ‘clear out your clutter’ campaign to rid wardrobes of unwanted, unworn and unloved items to raise vital funds for vulnerable children.

You can give away those unwanted festive gifts, or items of jewellery? What about that delectable handbag that no longer gets used and how about some of those weather beaten books that you no longer want to read? Help us by showing your support and bagging it up for Barnardo’s.

You would be surprised to find that if you give your unwanted gifts to Barnardo’s stores, they could use these donations to turn around the lives of children and young people. Just one bag of donated goods can raise from between £10 and £20, depending on the quality of the donations.

UK Tax Payers can also sign up to ‘Gift Aid It’, adding 28% to the value of your donation.

Barnardo’s is calling for more fosterers and adopters

Barnardo’s had a fostering and adoption week – 18-22 January 2010 is promoting the urgent need for family placements and adoptive parents.
There are 10,000 children in the UK in need of foster family and 2,500 children in need of a permanent loving home.
As a pioneer of modern day fostering and adoption, Barnardo’s first placed children in family settings more than one hundred years ago. In the past century, Barnardo’s has developed a diverse range of fostering and adoption services to meet the needs of children who are waiting for families today including:

• Short break foster carers who provide support for families with disabled children by sharing in their care.

• Foster carers who take children into their families for periods of a few weeks up to several years.

• Specialist foster care services who work with unaccompanied minors such as asylum seeking children.

• Adopters who make a lifetime commitment to children needing a permanent family and who become their legal parents.

For further information on becoming a fosterer or adoptive parent, visit: http://www.barnardos.org.uk/fosteringandadoption