The R2R carol singers raised their voices and £104.74 at Sainsburys on 14 December.
Tag Archives: R2R
The Poole branch of Halifax and Chartered building company Greendale Construction have chosen R2R as one of their nominated charities. Greendale presented R2R with a cheque for £1258.50 in January 2014 from money raised at their Christmas party, auction and raffle. In return R2R presented Greendale with our first ‘Star Fundraiser’ framed certificate.
Asda in Poole chose R2R as one of three charities to be supported in its 2013 Christmas token appeal in December and presented us with £50. Waitrose in Ashley Road Poole chose R2R as one of its Community Matters charities to be supported throughout December and presented R2R with £256 from its appeal.
Helen, a Routes to Roots member, recently told us how a dinner guest spotted and read through the Autumn R2R newsletter featuring the Big Breakfast appeal. At close of dinner he asked firstly for everyone’s attention and secondly for £3.50 each as tribute for their hostess’ lovely food – to buy a hot breakfast for a rough sleeper. As a result Helen handed over £21 for six breakfasts. What a great idea!
Pirates flocked to Poole in October when staff at Halifax Bank, Falkland Square held a charity auction at the branch to raise money for Routes to Roots.Among the reprobates at the pirate-themed fun day were Gabi (below) and Liz from R2R.
Among the prizes on offer were two tickets to a home AFC Bournemouth match, a family boat trip around Brownsea Island and meals out at top local restaurants. Money-raising activities also included a cake stand, face painting, tombola and second hand bookstall.
Halifax staff have chosen R2R as their charity for the year. They donated £363.70 in February 2014.
Casey Townsend and friends ‘did’ Swanage Carnival in July 2013 in aid of R2R by dressing up their Volkswagen and, with a couple of R2R collection tins, raising £26.40 plus a £10 on-line donation.
August 2014
• An average of 4 clients are taking part every week in a cooking project started with No 34 Café – with 9 individuals in total having a go.
• Met the Footprints Project, which mentors people leaving prison or serving a community sentence, to discuss possible joint projects.
• Agreed a ‘taster’ session with Dorset Wildlife Trust for October, with a view to starting a project focused on a dedicated area of Upton Heath involving up to 12 of our clients.
• Discussed the possibility of a Forest School for up to 10 of our clients in partnership with Footprints/Quay Foyer.
• Supported St Mary’s Longfleet with a client who was sleeping in the churchyard.
• Assisted numerous clients in the office with phone calls, appointments and housing issues.
• Accompanied client to appointments with SMART and PACT.
• Received and sorted numerous donations of clothing and assorted household items for our clients’ use or to go to Cash4Clothes.
• Assisted clients with doctor’s appointments and telephone calls to doctors.
• Assisted clients with benefits issues including JSA and ESA claims, liaison with DWP, transfer to ESA and telephone calls to the Council.
• Liaised with a landlord, supported a client to a housing interview and assisted with a return to accommodation.
• Helped a client with a job interview.
• Liaised with CRI over the death of a client.
July 2014
• Discussed new projects at Holton Lee, such as doing bush craft etc.
• Explored how we can work more closely with Quay Foyer to help people keep their housing, possible joint projects etc.
• Visited Bournemouth and Poole College to investigate possibilities of their students helping with projects and access to basic courses for our clients.
• Confirmed Route 34 cooking pilot project to take place in August.
• Assisted client with housing issues.
• Assisted client with ESA issues in liaison with Diverse Abilities Plus.
• Assisted client with mental health issues including calls to crisis team, hospital attendance and support.
• Helped client with transportation for self and property in move to new location.
• Assisted client with letters for Police and landlord re stalking.
• Enrolled new clients at Holton Lee Project.
June 2014
• Made a presentation on R2R at the Salisbury Deanery Synod meeting.
• Spoke with a potential partner about a new food/catering project.
• Arranged transportation and introductions for new clients participating in Holton Lee Project Flourish.
• Successfully supported a client in an application for a place at Quay Foyer, which provides accommodation, personal support and access to training and employment opportunities for young people.
• Successfully supported a client in obtaining backdated Housing Benefit from Poole Council.
• Arranged on-going, one-to-one counselling sessions for two clients.
• Assisted a client with the paperwork for claiming Employment Support Allowance.
• Met the Bishop of Sherborne, who agreed to become our first patron.
• Attended a Poverty Summit at Bournemouth University.
• Liaised with Bournemouth and Poole Rough Sleepers Team about various clients.
May 2014
• Assisted numerous clients with phone calls for appointments with agencies, landlords, doctors, etc.
• Continued to provide clients with clothing, toiletries and other necessities
• Provided clients who have been found accommodation with move-in packs
• Liaised with landlord about accommodation which is becoming available
• Advised Soup Runs and Poole Citizens Advice Bureau of CRI day centre locations and times for rough sleepers
• Involved in initial discussions with Counsellor Sarah Templeton for assistance with Dialogue and with one-to-one sessions for clients at Afternoon Drop-Ins
• Attended Poole Clothing Bank Project meeting
• Held meetings with Sign It!, who work in partnership with Access to Work, DWP & Job Centre Plus, for possible collaboration on work placements for clients
• Liaised with Holton Lee about new clients wanting to participate in Project Flourish.
• Following a request from Poole Council Housing Services Manager, two R2R housed clients engaged in role play with housing officers on a training course
April 2014
• Facilitated clients’ access to mail that is delivered to the Routes to Roots Skinner St address for them
• Supplied donated items to a client to help with setting-up in newly acquired rental accommodation
• Supplied clothing and other necessities to clients in need
• Provided information to a client about access to the Food Bank
• Assisted clients with personal and health problems
• Held discussions with volunteers from Exeter Drugs Project which works with people across Devon and in Dorset affected by drug and alcohol problems
• Attended two Poole Core Group Meetings at Poole Council to review our top ten clients and actions
• Arranged with PC Simon Young to set up new Dialogue sessions at the Afternoon Drop-Ins
March 2014
• Funded a return train ticket for a client to take his exams in CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) in Tottenham, London
• Took a client to Poole Council about housing
• Liaison with CRI to ensure smooth handover of Poole early morning outreach services to rough sleepers
• Meeting with Christian Entrepreneurs
• Received notice of the death of one of our clients
• Discussions with SMART (Substance Misuse Assessment and Referral Team) about attendances at R2R Drop-Ins
• Attended JSA Claimant Commitment workshop at Poole Council
February 2014
• Assessed five new clients in just five days.
• Two Saints, who have a supported lodgings service in Poole, which helps householders to support vulnerable people in their community, visited the R2R office to see how we operate.
• Attended a Core Group meeting at Poole Council.
• Supported a client at a Job Centre interview.
• Attended a meeting at Parkstone URC about a proposed Clothing Voucher Scheme.
• Poole Addictions Community Team (PACT) visited to find out more about R2R and our activities.
• Helped a new resident into E-bed accommodation.
• After four months of trying to engage with a rough sleeper in the Ashley Cross area, they finally came to the office for help.
• The Kings Head on Poole High Street covered our Cooked Breakfast provision for four days when The Fisherman Café closed.
• Met CRI, the new providers of outreach services in Poole from April, to discuss handover and their plans.
January 2014
• Supported client towards getting a birth certificate.
• Supported three clients at Job Centre appointments.
• Supported client to a doctor’s appointment.
• Supported client with a police interview.
• Working alongside his social worker, helped client to bid on properties that he should be accepted on.
• Assessed nine new clients and developed support plans for them.
• Liaised with Diverse Abilities to accompany and stay with client at a meeting for his DLA claim completion.
• Met client to finalise his DLA claim and to assist with ESA missed appointment issue.
• Supported client with a Community Mental Health Team appointment.
December 2013
• Called ambulance for client when she fell on the path following R2R afternoon drop-in. Taken to A&E where she discharged herself.
• Helped client at DLA Tribunal where he was reinstated and higher payment was recommended.
• First winter breakfast vouchers issued for Fisherman Café.
• Supported client to reinstate Job Seekers Allowance and Housing Benefit and liaised with landlady to sustain the tenancy.
• Attended Poole Town Network Forum with Healthwatch Dorset, who are now attending drop-ins.
• Teen Challenge rep attended afternoon drop-ins to help individual clients with drug or alcohol issues.
• Community Mental Health Nurse attended afternoon drop-in to help those with mental health issues.
• Holton Lee client volunteer gained job interview.
• Client prepared a pasta soup and a pear and apple crumble with custard for drop-in attendees.
• Liaised with Highways Enforcement Officer, Anti Social Behaviour Team and Local Councillor to enable homeless client sleeping in a tent to be allowed to remain there rather than being moved on, until he moves into permanent accommodation in January.
• Liaised with various people offering rucksacks and warm clothing, Christmas gifts etc.
November 2013
• Joined clients in edging and digging on our second Holton Lee allotment.
• Shopped and prepared veggies for a Tuesday Evening Drop-In where a client then cooked cottage pie for 30.
• Helped at Afternoon Drop-Ins where a client made crumble twice and a savoury tuna bake for 30.
• Supported a client with JSA suspension, liaising with the landlady to enable tenancy to continue during resulting suspension of housing benefit.
• Supported client with Disability Wessex to ESA tribunal, which was adjourned for further mental health evidence to be gathered.
• Participated in Annual Government Street Count in Poole.
• Meeting with South West Regional Manager for Homeless Link (membership body for organisations and individuals working with homeless people around England).
• Meeting with Teen Challenge, which helps people trapped by addiction and other life controlling problems such as drugs and alcohol, with a view to their participating at Afternoon Drop-Ins.
October 2013
• Supported client in interview with Disability Wessex who are now helping him with his appeal for Employment Support Allowance to be continued.
• Supported two new client volunteers to join Project Flourish at Holton Lee.
• Arranged a second allotment plot at Holton Lee, adjoining our existing plot, in which our three allotment client volunteers intend to plant fruit bushes and flowers.
• Held a team meeting at St Pauls with Care First counsellors following a client’s recent death and supported his family members.
• Successfully moved a male client into accommodation with low support.
• Added a number of new clients to our books and completed 4 client support plans.
• Made 6 visits to the Council regarding housing advice.
• We were needed to identify the body of a homeless person, well known to us, who sadly had passed away
• Attended Halifax Poole Family Fun Day (dressed as a pirate to support their theme) to raise awareness and money for Routes to Roots. • Attended Bournemouth Marathon to collect clothes (for our clients and resale) left by the runners at the start pens.
September 2013
• Registered and supported female client to GP evening appointment
• Housed client using a grant from Borough of Poole Discretionary Fund
• Delighted to say that client has found employment and placed a holding deposit on a room
• Assessed three new clients
• Sadly learned that a street homeless client has passed away and we are now liaising with family over the funeral
• Signed up a new client volunteer for Project Flourish at Holton Lee
• Liaised with HMP Hewell for homeless lady whose partner is charged and detained there
• Helped to clear the flat of another recently deceased client with his resettlement officer
At the end of February Kelly Vickers, a mortgage consultant with Nationwide, joined R2R to help at an Afternoon Drop-In. Kelly brought a friend with her, Alice Neal who is a Bournemouth University student. Both ladies were quickly on board with preparing the sandwiches, toast and baked beans, and serving the guys as they came in for lunch. They both thoroughly enjoyed the experience and have decided to put their names forward for our permanent list of volunteers.
The Nationwide Citizenship Committee at the Bournemouth admininstration centre selected Routes to Roots as a charity to support in Autumn 2012. They have given £630 in direct donations to assist with our winter appeal and with drop-in food budgets. They also publicised volunteering opportunities to their staff. The building society nationally runs a scheme to encourage volunteering whereby staff are given two days paid leave a year specifically to volunteer.
Alice Neal (BU) on the left and Kelly Vickers (Nationwide) on the right