Making a Difference

During the financial year July 2022 to June 2023 Hampton Fund awarded 67 grants to Community Organisations to the value of £1,428,200, tackling disadvantage and giving help and opportunities to people living within our area of benefit.
These are some of the stories that show the impact we have made to change lives and support our local communities.

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Sam's Story

Sam’s relationship with her mother broke down when she was 16 years old and she was forced to leave her family home. Sam stayed with friends and sofa surfed for several years whilst working. At the time, she was also dealing with depression triggered by the breakdown of her relationship with her mother. 

When the COVID-19 lockdown hit in March 2020, Sam was asked to leave the house she was staying in due to issues around space and concerns about the virus. Sam also lost her job due to the impact on the hospitality industry during COVID-19. At 22-years old Sam became street homeless during a global pandemic and had run out of places to turn to for help.

Sam was found rough sleeping by the SPEAR Richmond Outreach team and provided accommodation during the Everyone In initiative. She was linked in with health support and SPEAR skills and wellbeing support. This support stayed in place during Sam’s move into one of SPEAR’s accommodation projects. Sam has since participated in music workshops and cookery training to improve wellbeing, employability and independent living skills.

Sam is now being supported by her skills and wellbeing worker and the keyworker in her accommodation to prepare for enrolling on an accredited qualification. SPEAR has facilitated a laptop for the project so that Sam will be able to access courses that have moved online and access health support via video conference if needed. Sam will continue to be supported by SPEAR to learn new skills, find longer-term housing, find a job and continue to build her confidence. 

Andy’s spirit of giving back

A successful self-employed builder, Andy was unfortunately a victim of domestic violence and under complex circumstances he was not allowed to enter his home. With no access to his tools and home he could not continue to work and so became homeless.

Andy’s mental health worsened as he went through months of divorce proceedings and he even contemplated suicide.

Andy contacted SPEAR and was assigned a case worker who helped him look for accommodation. He became increasingly involved with activities at Spear’s Hub in Twickenham, attending the peer mentoring group sessions every week. He was amazed by the staff’s kindness and consideration:

“From the moment I walked in I could just feel sense of warmth and how willing they were to help me, a stranger.”

Andy's Journey Continued

SPEAR found accommodation for Andy; at first an opening came up in one of their multiple occupancy residences where he stayed for several months. During that time, he helped redecorate two of the rooms. More recently Andy qualified for one of their long-term independent flats.

With a passion to contribute and to “put something back in”, Andy is a regular and active volunteer. Over 18 months he has contributed an incredible 311 hours in total. Andy serves on the Service Involvement Group he also helps Spear’s clothing initiative. Furthermore, Andy was part of the event team that organised Spear’s two client Christmas parties in 2019 – he even dressed up as Santa! One of Spear’s emergency projects during the pandemic was setting up a food distribution network; Andy became an integral member delivering vital packages to people stuck at home self-isolating.

These are just some of many activities Andy engages in. He really is a member of the SPEAR family and as a show of gratitude for all his volunteering work, he was presented with a Fortnum & Mason hamper kindly donated by Spear’s corporate supporter Avantia.

Skylarks

Based at the Crossway Centre, Twickenham, Skylarks addresses the needs of children and young people with disabilities/additional needs (0-25 years) and their families. The charity offers a Legal Advocacy Service; counselling; and a range of activities including karate, drama groups, yoga, cookery, pedal project, weekly hydrotherapy sessions and a music club provided by OK Music Trust. The charity received two grants totalling £55,000 towards salary costs for the Development Manager and a SEND Advice Manager.

The following case studies show the impact of that work:

Case Study 1 

C was a single parent to a young person (YP) with a neurodevelopmental condition. C had long term depression for which she was on medication. She was in temporary housing with most of the essential white goods missing from the accommodation. 

The Family Matters Service supported C to access grants to fund a fridge, cooker, microwave, essential kitchen items and furniture for her house. We wrote supporting letters to housing to ensure the family wasn’t moved to another temporary accommodation, which would have an impact on the young person’s schooling. The service was also able to act as mediator and advocate between the school, Achieving for Children (AFC) and mum to review the YP’s EHCP and support the family through the process.

During Covid-19, the support worker organised walk-meetings in the local park with C to support her when she struggled with isolation and issues with the school. C was also struggling with her food bills and our service was able to organise fully funded grocery deliveries to C to support her through the year. C continues to receive invites to our workshops that are presented by specialists on various topics concerning children and young people with disabilities.

Case Study 2

A 9-year-old adopted Richmond child with traumatic early years was denied the EHCP Needs Assessment, despite a clear diagnosis of SEN and academic and sporting potential.  The child suffered from extreme physical symptoms and plummeting self-esteem.  The SEND Advice Service intervention resulted in the granting of a EHCP and, despite concerted local authority opposition, placement in the best possible local independent school with excellent sporting facilities and an actively inclusive ethos. The family was greatly relieved and the child’s condition vastly improved.  The child is now thriving.

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Crossroads Care

Hampton Fund currently provides 4 regular grants – a total of £113,000 towards respite provided on a 1-1 and community basis. Also an additional grant to provide an intensive support programme for young carers with complex needs.

The Men Who Care Project addresses the negative impact caring has on the mental and physical health of male carers. The project offers practical support including respite care, social activities to reduce isolation and discreet individualised support.

Learn English at Home

LEAH runs weekly classes for vulnerable people from minority ethnic communities to help them improve their English language skills and to take a more active part in their local community.  Hampton Fund provides grants of £15,600 to support the overall work of the charity.

Until March 2020 these classes were run face to face by trained volunteers but with the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown, classes moved from the Whitton Community Centre to online classes delivered remotely via Zoom. 

In addition to helping participants improve their English language skills, lessons have provided an opportunity for people to connect with others during a really frightening and difficult time. Many of the people LEAH works with are socially very isolated and the weekly classes have given people a chance to speak to and connect with others. Through the classes LEAH has focussed very much on health information, ensuring people are able to recognise coronavirus symptoms, understand the test and trace system and know what to do if they or someone in their family becomes unwell. Speakers from the local NHS have offered support and advice on the vaccination programme, on maintaining health and wellbeing and on keeping safe and well during the various restrictions. 

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Quotes from participants

“The classes have made me more confident in speaking English to people around me”

“I have enjoyed meeting other people in the LEAH classes and learning about life in the UK”

“I would like to thank you to all, especially our volunteer teachers. Every week we have a topic and we learn new words. Our teachers encourage us to speak. This makes us more confident while speaking and express ourselves”

Richmond Furniture Scheme 

Recycles furniture, collecting donated items from residents across the borough to sell to the public, with a reduced cost for those on benefits/low income. There is also upcycling, furniture restoration and repairs. The charity is keen to improve and strengthen the support given to volunteers, who gain a range of skills and work experience. Our grant of £28,000 pays for the full-time Volunteer Co-ordinator and associated costs

East Twickenham Neighbourhood Association

We are keen to build stronger communities through investment in infrastructure. ETNA is a vibrant community centre offering a range of activities, including a nursery and office space for several charities. To complete their refurbishment programme, our £10,400 grant will pay for improvements to the outside space including an electronic awning, wind sensors and installation costs.