Cherry D Project Update
June 2010
The Harbour
The Harbour is a service for people suffering from life-limiting illnesses. They provide professional counselling and psychotherapy to enhance the quality of life for people affected by a life-threatening illness, their carers and their partners. Following a restructure we have helped the group to recruit a new Chief Executive. Our next step is a new fundraising initiative a “Friends of The Harbour” membership programme.
Hope Road
Hope Road is a new support group for people with mental health issues, set up to share practical solutions and experiences. They are based in North Bristol where there is no other service supporting people with mental health issues. Cherry D helped the group to write a constitution and an initial business plan. They have now secured funding for their first 15 weekly meetings and will be holding the first meeting on August 3rd.
Bristol Children’s Playhouse
Bristol Children’s Playhouse based in Easton is a community charity working with over 200 families. They provide a range of family support and advice. They work with young parents (many of whom were themselves in care as children or from chaotic family backgrounds) and their families. The Playhouse came to Cherry D as their funding from Bristol City Council was not be renewed after April 2010 and the Playhouse would have to close in July 2010.
As a result of work done with Cherry D the Playhouse is now negotiating for funding from the Children’s Centres and has extended its nursery provision. In January 2010 the City Council granted £26,000 to support the organisation through this transition. The Playhouse will now be able to stay open.
Bristol Hearing Voices Network
BHVN is an informal self help group promoting positive explanations of voice hearing and giving people a framework for developing their own ways of coping. The group is looking to develop both an additional evening meeting and a meeting for in-patients on psychiatric wards.
Cherry D has supported the group to identify and develop a set of Policies and Procedures. Including Data Protection, Confidentiality, Health and Safety, Banking procedures including financial recording and reporting systems.
This will enable the group to tender for delivery of services and secure an income for the future and will also help to identify the tasks needed to maintain the group and will help to share responsibilities for these tasks between members of the group.
Avon Sexual Abuse Centre
Avon Sexual Abuse Centre (ASAC) provides a Bristol-wide psychotherapy and counseling service to women, men and children who have been sexually abused. ASAC identified an unmet need to provide therapy and support to sexually abused children throughout Bristol. They were receiving 2-3 referrals a week that they were unable to support due to lack of resources.
Cherry D supported a long term fundraising plan including building a website, developing a media presence and commissioning research to support raising £150,000 to convert and equip an old garage into child friendly consulting rooms.
In December 2008 we secured £9,200 to pay the salary of a part time Development Manager and we are awaiting a decision from the PCT to fund an expansion in the provision of services for children in Bristol who have been sexually abused.
In June ASAC were awarded £12,500 by the Cadbury Trust to fund four support groups
• One for boys under 14,
• One for girls under 14,
• One for boys 14-18,
• One for parents/carers
Then in November 2009 after several months of application we were awarded £82,000 by Children in Need
In December 2009 as a result of the successful funding Bristol City Council granted an additional £31,000.
Total funding raised to date = £134,700