David Lloyd Hatfield Club Support

The key to how we work is helping in a sustainable way and thus break the often familiar cycle of homelessness. Through our dedicated team of staff, trustees and volunteers we operate two hostels, The Haven in Stevenage and The Sanctuary in Hitchin, and manage 11 move-on properties, transforming the lives of around 150 people every year. We are always trying to organise new activities and day trips to encourage our residents to become more active and challenge their abilities! Our hope is to provide residents which some much needed respite from some of the daily struggles they encounter. By organising a range of different activities we hope it will help build positive relationships with others as well as improving their physical capabilities and well-being. Our main goals are.... - Increase supported second-stage accommodation available for hostel clients: The support needs of clients vary considerably such that some are ready to move on in a matter of months whereas others may require a year or more. On average, we have about 60 clients per year moving on (planned) from the hostel. Also important is to ensure there is sufficient availability of suitable move-on accommodation. As such, we will seek to acquire additional move-on properties. - Improve the physical and mental health outcomes for clients: Homeless people, particularly rough sleepers, are prone to deterioration in physical health such as chronic chest or breathing problems. From our data, those declaring mental health problems on referral average around 20% of the total. However, the true figure is likely to be higher; St Mungo's publication "Down and Out" (2009) reports up to 70% of homeless people as having mental health problems. - Increase the opportunities for clients securing employment when they move-on from the hostel: Over 97% of those entering the hostel are not employed. Getting clients on the path to finding a job is an important part of them having structure, focus and a sense of purpose. We do great work with clients in building the so-called "soft skills" important in everyday life as well as in progressing into education, training or employment. These include social interaction, self-esteem and self-confidence. - Reduce homelessness amongst ex-residents and other vulnerable groups by contributing to preventative measures: Overall evictions, relating to combined landlord evictions and repossessions, are locally very high with the figure for Stevenage being the third highest in the East of England. Ex-residents from Stevenage Haven are likely to be at greater risk than other local people of experiencing eviction. We work with other agencies, such as Citizens Advice Bureau, to prevent homelessness by providing support to vulnerable groups.

Verulamium at Play is a community-led local charity (charity no. 1170476), that is working in partnership with St Albans Council, to raise money to revamp the play area in the district’s flagship park. Our vision is to replace the 30 year old, out-dated play equipment in Verulamium Park with a modern, stimulating play area that encourages outdoor, adventurous and imaginative play for today’s children, and for future generations. The existing playground, and many others in the area, make little or no provision for disabled access and inclusive play. We will ensure that the new play area will be inclusive and accessible to all. We aim to relaunch the playground in Spring 2019. The overall cost of the project is estimated to be in the region of £250,000. This will pay for the play equipment and also ground works. As Verulamium Park is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, it is likely that ground works will be necessary to protect the underlying archaeology - the site of the Roman city of Verulamium. There are already over £225,000 of funds in place for this project. The target we need to raise by Summer 2018 is therefore £25,000. We want this to be a community spirit-led initiative, so if you’re a business, school or community group and have a bigger idea, please get in touch and get involved! To donate, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/verulamiumatplay/cheerforgood

Home-Start Herts Helps families with young children, who are struggling to cope. With our support Parents can give their children the best start in life so they can grow into happy and health big people. We're a local family charity that offers emotional and practical support to parents with at least one child under 12. Our team of trained volunteers visit families in their own home, building trusted relationships and providing focused support that is tailored to each family's needs. Every year, the demand for our service increases, yet funding continues to decrease. You can make a big difference and help us to continue supporting families by joining our team of friendly volunteers to help run the charity or visit families in need. We'd also love you to organise a charity fundraising event or challenge to support us in your own creative way!