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Author: Lynne Haigh

Meet The Team: Samantha Cashman

Posted on by Lynne Haigh

Name: Samantha Cashman

Job Title: Administration Manager

Date joined YCC: 2006

Tell us a little about yourself: In good weather I love long walks around the countryside, and in all weathers I am a regular cinema and theatre-goer – usually a 1-2 times a week (finances permitting!).

Your role in a nutshell: As well as supporting our colleagues, the administration team are usually the first port of call for clients enquiring into Fresh Futures children and family oriented services such as the Child Contact service, the Domestic Abuse Prevention Programme, Community Friends (befriending and reducing loneliness), Safety in the Home and Hopeful Families.

Why do you like working for YCC? The variety of backgrounds and experiences my colleagues have and how they bring this to their own roles; and seeing the passion everyone has in supporting positive outcomes in people’s lives. I feel like I have met so many different and interesting people over the years, and learnt a lot along the way.

What’s one of your favourite work memories? Fresh Futures were nominated for the COVID Hero award at the Yorkshire Choice Awards in May of this year; some of us attended the ceremony which was a really fun experience. It was great to celebrate the Fresh Futures services that had kept going during lockdown and also see what other amazing organisations and individuals there are across the county as whole.

And finally, what advice would you give to people considering working at YCC? If you are passionate about third sector or charity work – whether a more practical and supportive role such as finance or admin, or working face-to-face with clients – then it’s a great place to work.

If you would like to learn more about YCC, click HERE.

News Update: It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…at YCC!

Posted on by Lynne Haigh

We are feeling Christmassy here at Fresh Futures and have several exciting Christmas Campaigns that members of the public can get involved with to help us raise funds for those that need our support over the festive period.

We are so excited this year to have our very own Fresh Futures Christmas Cards that were designed by Sam, a Year 11 student at Brian Jackson College. These are on sale NOW at Brian Jackson House and Jo Cox House.

YCCs 2022 Christmas Card

Our Christmas Tree of Wishes is up at Brian Jackson House and companies can donate a personalised bauble for £50 which will then be proudly displayed on the tree.

Fresh Futures Tree of Wishes at Brian Jackson House

Our Christmas Gift Appeal started in November, and we have already had several companies reach out to help us collect gifts. Members of the public can also get involved and this year we are the Huddersfield collection point for the JCI Secret Santa Appeal. All gifts donated will be given to families in Kirklees that need help this Christmas.

On Wednesday 14th December, members of staff at Fresh Futures will be celebrating Festive Jumper Day and having an internal festive lunch get together. There will be a hamper and raffle prizes available to win on the day.

Lynne Haigh, Fundraising Communications and Coordinator at Fresh Futures said “It has been extremely busy in the run up to Christmas and it is so exciting to have all the different ways for people to reach out and support Fresh Futures. We are pleased that, as a result, we will be able to support so many families and individuals during these difficult times.”

All proceeds raised from our Christmas Campaigns will go directly back to Fresh Futures and support disadvantaged children, young people and their families.

If you would like to support Fresh Futures in any way, then please contact [email protected] and find out how you or your organisation could get involved to Improve Lives and Inspire Change.

Volunteer of the Month: December

Posted on by Lynne Haigh

We love this time of the month: when we get to shout about our amazing volunteers and the quite literally life changing work that they do to help Fresh Futures run smoothly and effectively.

This month we are giving a very special THANK YOU to Sushma Rani, who volunteers as a befriender at Fresh Futures.

We caught up with Sushma to hear about her Fresh Futures Volunteering Journey…

  1. Name: Sushma Rani
  2. How long have you been volunteering for the charity? I started befriending in 2019.
  3. Please explain your volunteering role in a nutshell: I am a befriender at Fresh Futures and speak to the friends I have been matched with on a weekly basis to help prevent isolation
  4. What made you want to start volunteering with YCC? I became a befriender to be there for someone who is feeling alone
  5. Tell us a little bit about your role: As a befriender I assist ,comfort, increase sense of belonging and purpose in a friend’s life
  6. And finally, what advice would you give to people considering volunteering with YCC? Being a befriender gives me great pleasure

If you feel inspired to become a volunteer like Sushma, or if you would like to volunteer in any way for our charity, please contact Lucy on 01484 519988 or email [email protected]

Service Spotlight: Child Contact

Posted on by Lynne Haigh

Fresh Futures think of contact as ‘time for children’ with an emphasis on the quality of that time. The focus should be on meeting the needs of the child as best as possible to ensure their time spent with parents or carers is of value to them.

About Child Contact

This service is for parents, grandparents or other family members who no longer live with their children. We provide a range of toys and games to enable contact to be a positive experience in a safe and secure environment. Child Contact centres can help when there are safety considerations or help increase trust and reliability between parents and carers. We can assist parents or carers who need time to agree alternative plans, or when relationships need support to develop, to benefit the child.

How to access the service

Arrangements are by referral, which can be made by a social worker, solicitor, family mediator, CAFCASS Family Court Advisor or another appropriate professional. We can also accept self-referrals from parents or family members that do not have legal representation, subject to safeguarding checks, and they will be accepted at the discretion of the contact centre co-ordinator.

Once a referral is accepted, we will arrange payment of the referral fee, then each adult party will be booked in for an introductory meeting or visit with a contact worker. Following completion of introductory meetings, and once we are satisfied that it is appropriate to commence contact, we aim to arrange the first session at the first available opportunity.

To learn more about the Contact Centres at Fresh Futures please click here, email [email protected] or call 01484 519988.

Thank you so much: Stowe Family Law LLP

Posted on by Lynne Haigh

The team at Fresh Futures would like to say a big thank you to Stowe Family Law, who recently donated a generous £250 to the charity. We are so pleased that the firm has chosen to continue to support and build a relationship with Fresh Futures and we are extremely thankful for every donation we receive.

Stowe Family Law are a team of compassionate family solicitors with a strong track-record of success for clients in Huddersfield and across Yorkshire. You can visit their website here.

Stowe Family Law told YCC; “We are proud to support Fresh Futures for a second year with a donation towards their wonderful work improving the health & wellbeing of children, young people, and their families in the Yorkshire region. We wholeheartedly recommend that other local businesses get involved wherever possible.”

Fresh Futures aims to improve the lives of others, inspire change and to improve the wellbeing of the communities in Kirklees and surrounding areas. All donations we receive have a direct and positive impact on the disadvantaged and vulnerable children, young people, and families we support.

At Fresh Futures we value all our corporate partnerships, and we are keen to partner with a diverse range of business industries. There are many ways a business and their employees can get involved. If you would like to support Fresh Futures in any way, then please contact [email protected] and find out how you or your organisation could get involved to Improve Lives and Inspire Change.

News Update: Fresh Futures Christmas Cards

Posted on by Lynne Haigh

Fresh Futures are excited to announce that this year we have our very own charity Christmas Cards. The card was designed by Sam, a student at our Huddersfield Brian Jackson College and was the winner of a competition we initiated with the students across both sites.

Joolz Cooper, Brian Jackson Colleges Art Teacher, assisted with the competition and said “The brief was for students to design a Christmas card to incorporate the core values of Fresh Futures. We had lots of wonderful entries, and the winner and runner ups were chosen anonymously by our Head Teacher, Jacqui Green. The winner was Sam from our Huddersfield site, and the runners up were Kelsey from Huddersfield and Milan from Heckmondwike. Pupils spent time in lessons working on their cards to get the amazing, finished results. They all embraced their designs across several lessons and had the opportunity to use a range of mediums for their finished designs. The winner, Sam, used mixed media and collage with a range of techniques to produce his superb, finished piece. Prizes in the form of vouchers were presented by the Chief Executive of YCC, Mark Farmer, and all staff and pupils are proud of what they have achieved.”

Sam holding his winning design with Joolz Cooper (Art Teacher) and Jacqui Green (Headteacher)
YCCs 2022 Christmas Card

Mark Farmer, CEO of YCC, visited the college last week to present the students with their vouchers and cards and to also congratulate them on the final designs. Sam was extremely pleased that his card was the winning design and is excited to see them go on sale at the Colleges and Fresh Futures buildings.

Runner up design by Kelsey
Runner up design by Milan

The cards are now on sale at Jo Cox House and Brian Jackson House, they are £5 for a pack of 10 and all donations received from the sale of the cards will go towards supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged children, young people, and their families across Kirklees.

We have been generously supported on this project by Aura Print, a printing company based in Huddersfield. They very kindly gifted us the printed cards, envelopes, and packaging and have been a pleasure to work with throughout the process. Visit their website HERE.

If you would like to support Fresh Futures in any way, then please contact [email protected] and find out how you or your organisation could get involved to Improve Lives and Inspire Change.

Volunteer of the Month: November

Posted on by Lynne Haigh

We love this time of the month: when we get to shout about our amazing volunteers and the quite literally life changing work that they do to help Fresh Futures run smoothly and effectively.

This month we are giving a very special THANK YOU to Jordan Tyrell, who has been volunteering at the Pass It On charity shop in Heckmondwike for 6 months.

We caught up with Jordan to hear about his Fresh Futures Volunteering Journey so far…

  1. Name: Jordan Tyrell
  2. Tell us a little about yourself? My name is Jordan, I’m 18 and I have just finished studying for A-Levels in Maths, Physics and Design Technology.
  3. How long have you been volunteering for the charity? Almost 6 months
  4. Please explain your volunteering role in a nutshell: My role as a volunteer consists of working on the till and some work in the vintage warehouse where I help move newly donated furniture around and take pictures to list on the company’s eBay page.
  5. What made you want to start volunteering with YCC? I started volunteering with Fresh Futures for my Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award and I thought it would be the perfect place to start as the people are great.
  6. Tell us a little bit about your role: A typical day of volunteering for me would consist of some work on the till, pricing and uploading newly donated items on the company’s Facebook and eBay pages and helping in the vintage warehouse.
  7. And finally, what advice would you give to people considering volunteering with YCC? I highly recommend volunteering with Fresh Futures as it has been a great experience for me so far.

If you feel inspired to become a volunteer like Jordan, or if you would like to volunteer in any way for our charity, please contact Lucy on 01484 519988 or email [email protected]

Meet The Team: Dale Clarkson

Posted on by Lynne Haigh

Name: Dale Clarkson

Job Title: Caretaker at Jo Cox House

Date joined YCC: April 2013

Tell us a little about yourself: I like going to my allotment in my spare time where I grow my own vegetables and keep chickens and bees.

Your role in a nutshell: I carry out general maintenance which includes painting and decorating and day to day repairs. I provide front of house support and ensure all health and safety procedures are up to date for the building.

Why do you like working for YCC? I like working for Fresh Futures as I have a good team to support me, and I enjoy working alongside different tenants who use the building. I really enjoy helping the general public which is a big part of my role.

And finally, what advice would you give to people considering working at YCC? Be willing to work hard and be flexible in your job role.

If you would like to learn more about YCC, click HERE.

News Update: Brian Jackson College refurb project

Posted on by Lynne Haigh

Brian Jackson College, Heckmondwike has recently undergone a makeover and Fresh Futures are so happy with the results. During the half-term break we took the opportunity to spruce up the common room as a surprise for when the students returned.

Nicola Atkinson, Deputy Head teacher at the College said “On behalf of all pupils and staff at Brian Jackson College, we would like to take the opportunity to thank the volunteers who took the time to come over and re-vamp the pupils’ social space. The space looks much brighter and cleaner, and pupils can now enjoy playing Xbox, pool, and other activities in between lessons.”

The finished common room at Brian Jackson College, Heckmondwike. Well done team!

We were supported on this project by several local businesses including Ramsdens Solicitors, Maximus, National Day Nursery Association, Turner & Townsend as well as a few very helpful College staff who came in during their time off to lend a hand.

The whole team did an outstanding job and completed the works within 3 days!

College staff helping during their break
Maximus staff working hard
Volunteers from Ramsdens Solicitors
More helpers from Ramsdens Solicitors

YCCs Volunteering Development Officer, Lucy Martin, organised the project and was there to help and lend support to the team during the week “A huge thank you to all companies, Maximus, Turner & Townsend, National Day Nursery Association and Ramsdens who joined us in the project of revamping the student’s common area space. We even managed to complete the project earlier than anticipated! We also want to thank Kirklees Youth Alliance who offered to support the project. It was wonderful to meet everyone and spend time learning of all the great things happening across Yorkshire. We hope everyone enjoyed it as much as we did! The common area is now a bright, fresh, and clean space ready for the students to unleash their creativity and showcase their work on the walls, we’ll keep you all updated on the progress. From the college staff, students, and myself, a huge THANK YOU to you all!”

Turner & Townsend enjoying the challenge
Staff from National Day Nursery Association supporting YCC

Alice Bray, Employment Advisor at Maximus who helped on day said “Everyone really enjoyed getting involved and doing something meaningful with our time out of the office. We really hope the space is enjoyed by the students. BJC offer really important and valuable opportunities for young people that need it, so it was great to be involved.”

Fresh Futures would also like to say a huge thank you to Dulux who provided paint for the project.

If you would like to get involved in future projects like this, please contact Lucy via email on [email protected] or click here to see how you can support Fresh Futures Work With Us – Yorkshire Children’s Centre (freshfutures.org.uk).

Thank you so much: TK Maxx Homesense Foundation

Posted on by Lynne Haigh

Fresh Futures would like to say a huge thank you to the TK Maxx and Homesense Foundation for donating an extremely generous £1,000 from their Community Fund.  

The TK Maxx and Homesense Foundation was set up in 2015 and its mission is to support children and young people to achieve their potential within their local communities. The Community Fund programme is dedicated to helping local grassroots charities and since March 2020 has been working particularly hard to support those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Associates (employees) from TK Maxx and Homesense stores, processing centres and offices across Europe, nominate local charities to receive grants that are doing great work in supporting the most vulnerable. In 2021, The TK Maxx and Homesense Foundation made over 1,655 grants to support local communities and charities, such as food banks and mental health organisations, with £791,793 donated.

The TK Maxx and Homesense Foundation comments: “We are delighted that The TK Maxx and Homesense Foundation has been able to support so many charities. We are proud that our grants are making a difference to local communities where it really matters.”

Fresh Futures would like to take this opportunity to thank the TK Maxx and Homesense Foundation for their very generous donation and for nominating our charity to receive the grant.

Fresh Futures relies entirely on the generosity of others to help us raise the funds needed to deliver our range of services that support disadvantaged and vulnerable children, young people, and their families.

If you would like to support Fresh Futures in any way, then please contact [email protected] and find out how you or your organisation could get involved to Improve Lives and Inspire Change.