As Helm’s CEO, I’m really pleased to announce that we have a series of events and activities running this week to coincide with Giving Tuesday on 29th November.
Traditionally, Giving Tuesday is the day when charities ask their supporters to donate to them. We wanted to break the mould, so this year while we are launching a fundraising campaign to raise funds for our breakfast club, we’re also running a series of activities and events to say thank you and give back to our wonderful local community.
To start the week, on Monday 28th November, six nurseries are running Dress Up days and children are dressing up as the grownup they want to be when they are older. Children will be given free activity sheets from Helm about different jobs that they’ll have fun completing, as well as a sticker to thank them for taking part in the day. Some of the nurseries are kindly running the day as a fundraiser for Helm which we’re incredibly grateful about.
Toni from Tots Academy says: “Without Helm, we would not have met some of our fantastic trainees. Helm really has been integral in helping us build our staff team as the nursery has become busier. Aside from the benefits Helm has provided us, it is really heartening to see an organisation that genuinely cares about young people, providing them with opportunities to gain qualifications and helping them access the careers they desire.”
On Tuesday 28th, we’ve partnered with Dundee Carers Centre to offer free services to carers from the Maryfield area at our fully operational beauty salon on our site, in the centre of Dundee. We’re really pleased to be able to offer this support to such a well-deserving group of people and hope lots of carers book an appointment to enjoy a beauty treatment on Helm!
Because it’s Giving Tuesday and because we’re a charity, we’re also launching a fundraising campaign on the 28th. Every day, Helm provides free breakfasts for our young people to help them start their days right. As the cost of living crisis continues, more families are pushed into poverty and forced to make the difficult choice between heating and food. By providing a free breakfast for our young people, we are helping ease the burden on families and improve young people’s health and mental wellbeing.
We know times are tough right now for everyone but if you’d like to donate to support the campaign, you can do so by clicking here. Every penny really does make a difference and we appreciate all donations, small or large.
On Wednesday 29th November, Helm’s young people are visiting Menzieshill Care Home to provide free treatments to residents. The visit offers residents a treat and young people the opportunity to connect through intergenerational conversations. Friends and families will be invited along as well to enjoy the day.
Helm has visited the care home previously and Michael, Social Care Coordinator, says about the visits “the young people have been coming for about three years and the residents really enjoy it. The social interaction has brought a very positive meaning to their lives.” Mabel, one of the residents, said “It was marvellous, and I was so surprised it was free. What a kind gesture.” Xena, another resident, went on to say, “I really enjoyed getting my nails done, it made me feel alive!”
On Thursday 1st December we’re kickstarting the festive season in style and running our first-ever Employer Awards Reception to celebrate our employer partners’ contribution to the charity. Helm is fortunate to work with over 80 employers who provide significant support to us, offering work placements to young people so they can learn more about different workplaces and gain vital experience to help them go on to employment. This is a significant part of every young person’s journey through Helm and we are incredibly grateful to our employer partners. Watch this space – we’ll be announcing the winners on Thursday night!
Keep an eye on Helm’s social media on Saturday 3rd December – we’ll be launching a quiz and one lucky winner will receive a mug and a festive hot chocolate pot! We’ll release the answers in next month’s newsletter.
Finally, to wrap up the week, Helm’s Fundraising Manager is taking part in our new fundraising campaign – Step Up for Helm and will be walking 40,000 steps in 24 hours to celebrate our 40th birthday and to raise vital funds. You can sponsor her by clicking here and if you’re interested in taking part in the Step Up challenge, email hello@helmtraining.co.uk to find out more.
“We’ve been preparing for this week for some time and we’re really looking forward to giving back to our local community and saying thank you to everyone. Additionally, we’re really hopeful that people will dig deep and donate to our fundraising campaign for our breakfast club. It’s such a vital service we provide our young people and we’re only able to provide it with support from others. Thank you”
Ally Calder, CEO at Helm.