Giving Back to Bristol - Who We've Helped
Cherry D is a charity that helps local community based organisations address all aspects of running a small growing charity in Bristol.
We offer a complete service at no cost to community groups from the initial assessment, through a series of development days with specially selected consultants. We manage and evaluate the work throughout the process to completion of the project in order to effect positive change within the charity.
Since its creation in 2001, Cherry D has helped over 70 local charities and organisations ranging from a short consultation on how to put together an Annual Report as an effective fundraising tool to a 6 month project on writing and implementing a business plan and restructure of the organisation as a whole.
Case Studies Include:
Caring at Christmas / Nightstop
The charity Caring at Christmas was originally set up to run an emergency shelter for people who are homeless over Christmas week. They have since developed year round initiatives including,
• Bristol Survival guide
• Caring in August
• Nightstop- a preventative project working with 16-25 year olds providing them with emergency accommodation in the homes of volunteer hosts
During 2007 Nightstop had been unable to accommodate 77% of the young people who needed accommodation due to a lack of hosts. So, in 2008 they approached Cherry D for support in recruiting more host families. They had 15 regular hosts and were looking to increase that by at least 5 more.
Cherry D supported them with writing and delivering a recruitment plan.
Activities included:
• Media and marketing support, Cherry D facilitated a host recruitment planning meeting identifying proactive ways to recruit new hosts.
• Supporting them through briefing a designer to produce a leaflet: In 2007 they had recruited 5 new hosts through stalls at volunteering events, and were looking to do the same activities again but needed a specific Nightstop leaflet to give out.
• Sourcing a printer who printed the leaflet for the cost of a cake baked by Cherry D Project Manager (thank you Taylor Brothers).
Early in 2009 Caring at Christmas had a change of manager and other support staff. Cherry D have made an open invitation to discuss support opportunities for the future.
Thornbury Community Gardeners
Background
In 1998 Thornbury Community Garden Group started to build a special garden, Siblands Sensory Garden. The Garden was open to everyone, but particularly to disabled, partially-sighted and blind people. The Garden had a variety of herbs and wild flowers and several interesting features including a tactile sculpture, sensory garden, spinney, wild plant area, pergola, stream, nature pond and a convalescence area for lost/injured hedgehogs. There were raised flower beds and other features that enabled wheelchair users to participate fully in the planting, maintenance and enjoyment of the Garden.
Unfortunately the land was sold for re-development by the South Gloucestershire Council and closed in January 2007
The Future
Not too downhearted after the closure of the garden, the group secured a 99 year lease on a piece of wasteland next to the new Turnberries Community Centre which they have developed into a new community garden. The new garden opened to the public on 13th September 2008. The team that built this garden included groups of school children, volunteers and adults with learning difficulties and is open to all in Thornbury. Check out the website for more information http://www.thornburycommunitygarden.co.uk/
Cherry D worked with the “Gardeners” in three areas.
Supporting with
• Health and Safety risk assessment training for the group so that both mainstream and special needs schools are able to bring groups of children to help create the garden.
• The design and production of a promotional leaflet for the garden
• Volunteer Recruitment for both one off “Planting Days” and on-going garden maintenance.
Whilst the garden is now open, it is a growing thing and new developments are being planned for the future.
St. Werburgh’s City Farm
Just a mile from Bristol City centre, this once derelict site has been a working farm and thriving community centre for the last 25 years. Working in partnership with local people, the farm provides a range of recreational, educational and environmental services and resources, e.g. holiday play schemes, after-school club, youth events, community events, horticultural training for adults with special needs, etc.
Entry is free, so anyone can experience first hand contact with farm life in city. On the farm one will find a range of livestock, a community garden, an adventure playground, a café and a farm shop.
Cherry D has recently completed a project working with the Farm to review roles, responsibilities and reporting structures to ensure that the Farm is running as effectively as it possibly can. We provided guidance in implementing key processes and procedures to ensure future sustainability.
Living
Living (Formerly The Disabled Living Centre) provides disabled and elderly people with assistive technology and equipment, which gives them greater independence, comfort and freedom while at home and in the community.
When the DLC needed to rebrand and launch a new fundraising appeal, they approached Cherry D for assistance with their strategic marketing and fundraising planning.
Working in partnership with Bristol Pro-Help member Burleigh Press, Cherry D helped DLC create and implement a strategic plan around the launch of their fundraising appeal. Work involved providing essential training on fundraising, charity law, data protection & marketing, setting up a volunteer fundraising group and developing a ‘clean’ database that complied with data regulations. Cherry D advised on the appeal image and message, put a response handling procedure in place then launched the direct mail appeal to all 13,000 on the database.
As well as establishing key office procedures, the campaign resulted in:
- £6,642 in donations
- £1,400 worth of gifts-in-kind
- 4 fundraising volunteers
- 3 legacy donors
Sara Burgess, Director of The Disabled Living Centre said,
“Cherry D has enabled the Disabled Living Centre to move forward with its plans to launch a Fundraising Campaign that is vital to ensure that it can keep up with the success and demand for its services. With advice, information and guidance through meetings, workshops and regular communication, Cherry D has eased the DLC’s passage through challenging new ground.”
The Family Centre
The Family Centre (for Deaf Children) offers services for families who have a child with any level of hearing loss. Services include free British Sign Language classes for parents, siblings and grandparents, a home visiting service by deaf and hearing professionals, educational liaison and activities and events for deaf and deafened children and their families.
Cherry D was approached by the Family Centre, their management was unmotivated and lacking in vision and there were impending financial problems. Through running a development day for staff and trustees, Cherry D helped the charity to identify common goals and ways in which the management structure could be strengthened to support these. We also provided mentoring and support to enable a key worker to implement the new structure and working processes.
Jean McLaughlin, The Family Centre (for Deaf Children) said:
“Three years down the line we now have a strong management committee, enthusiastic staff and are looking forward to launching a major appeal and re-branding in 2006, all with the support and expertise of Cherry D.”
The Southmead Project
Southmead Project aims to reduce substance related harm to individuals and their families and to promote community safety within Southmead and the surrounding areas. On its 10th anniversary, the Southmead Project approached Cherry D for ideas on how it could use the opportunity to increase awareness of its services.
Cherry D provided advice on their organisational strategy as well as recommendations and support with operations. We helped with the design and production of their 10th anniversary annual report then used the news opportunity to strengthen their regional profile in local newspapers, radio and TV.
This help resulted in a £2,000 donation from The Funding Network as well as gifts in kind from local businesses. The campaign’s media coverage enabled them raise awareness of their services among service users and other service providers. They also strengthened their in-house marketing expertise.
Mike Peirce MBE, Chief Executive of Southmead Project said:
“The news/media coverage has been of the highest order leading to a general re-think on how possible funding from Neighbourhood Renewal funds might be spent.…On behalf of all concerned at this charity, the clients it represents and the community in general, please accept our thanks and best wishes.”
The Space Trust
The Space Trust helps families in temporary accommodation through providing outreach clubs, free furniture, quality second-hand clothes and toys for those who have recently been re-housed. When they approached Cherry D, their furniture project was failing and their services lacking in structure and efficiency.
Through a series of development days, Cherry D identified where the organisation could be helped. We then provided management and trustees with ongoing strategic advice and support. Recommendations were made to strengthen staff relations through improved internal communications. And Cherry D provided them with support developing a comprehensive marketing and fundraising strategy.
The Space Trust now has an effective marketing and fundraising strategy, which has enabled them to raise awareness of their services and fund their move to new premises. They were recently awarded £10,000 from Lloyds TSB and a new staff member has been appointed.
Maggie Moore, Administration Manager for The Space Trust, Easton said:
“Space Trust was in crisis when we approached Cherry D….the team at Cherry D helped us to streamline our service and get the furniture project back up and running. We could not have got through the crisis without their help.“
If you would like to give us any feedback on these resources or if you would like to be kept informed of new workshops, email us on hello@cherryd.org or call 0117 317-9571.