Home-Start Leeds receives Queens Award 10th June 2008
We are thrilled to announce that on 2nd June Home-Start Leeds received the QUEENS AWARD for voluntary service!
We are one of only 5 groups within the Yorkshire and Humber region who have been chosen to receive this prestigious Award.
The award, introduced by the Queen in 2002 to mark her Golden Jubilee, recognises excellence in voluntary activities carried out by groups in the community.
From all the staff - Congratulations to all our amazing volunteers and Trustees!
Happy Birthday, Home-Start Leeds 24th April 2008
Thursday 13th March saw Home-Start Leeds celebrate its 21st birthday in style, with a fantastic anniversary party in the beautiful Tiled Hall Cafe in Leeds Art Gallery. Trustees, families, volunteers and staff members all had the opportunity to catch up with one another, and our special evening was also the perfect time to celebrate and reminisce upon the amazing achievements that Home-Start Leeds has secured over the past two decades.
After a lovely introduction from Ann Pemberton, everybody was invited to have a bite to eat from the delicious buffet. We also had the chance to look at the birthday cake, which was generously given by Scarborough Building Society. The cake was iced with Home-Start Leeds’s new logo, and at the end of the party we all went home with a piece of the cake which tasted as good as it looked!
Two special guests made our evening even more exciting. Margaret Harrison CBE, who founded Home-Start 35 years ago and who is now the Life President of the charity, kindly came along and gave a very interesting and inspirational speech about her work, the importance of Home-Start, and the international success that our charity is now experiencing.
Kay Mellor, who is Patron of Home-Start Leeds, spent time talking to everybody and she also gave a wonderful speech, which reminded us all why Home-Start is such a worthwhile charity and how a little reassurance from a volunteer can go a long way for a family. After their speeches, Margaret and Kay were both presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers to thank them for their dedication to the charity.
Towards the end of the evening, raffle tickets that had been given out when we had arrived at the party were clutched in eager hands, as everybody hoped to hear their number called. With help from some excited children the draw was made and the lucky winners had a choice of prizes, including boxes of chocolates, scented candles, and a chocolate fountain!
21 years has passed at an unbelievable speed, and Home-Start Leeds is already looking forward to another 21 years (and more!) of working with families and volunteers, and helping to make a difference.
As always, acknowledgements and our sincere thanks go to...
· Margaret Harrison CBE, for attending our party, but above all we would like to thank her for founding such a valuable charity, and for continuing to be such an inspiration to Home-Start Leeds as we carry on pursuing her vision.
· Kay Mellor, for her incredible support and dedication to her role as Patron of Home-Start Leeds.
· Scarborough Building Society for its generous contributions to our 21st anniversary party, particularly the wonderful invitations and the delicious cake.
· Adele and Karen for the beautiful flowers given to Margaret Harrison and Kay Mellor, and also for the balloons that made the Tiled Hall Cafe into the perfect party location.
· Trustees, families, volunteers and staff members who all play such an important role in making Home-Start Leeds the success that it is.
Ho-Ho-Home-Start Christmas Party 22nd February 2008
Despite the weather being absolutely terrible on Saturday 8th December, the rain didn’t succeed in dampening the festive mood. Lots of families, volunteers and Trustees arrived at Pinsent Masons looking a bit wet but feeling very excited about the fun that awaited them. Snow White, Buzz Lightyear and many more giddy characters were on-hand to greet partygoers. They then entertained everyone - including the adults! - throughout the two hour party.
Entertainment was also supplied by 2b Acting, who thrilled us all with amazing balloon-making, a miming act and wonderful singing! Pinsent Masons staff showed off their artistic face painting
skills, so by the end of the day there were lots of butterflies fluttering around, and Spiderman was scurrying here, there and everywhere.
The children were really excited when Santa made a special appearance. He invited each child into his festively decorated grotto, where they were all given an early Christmas present and then, to make their time with Mr Claus even better, each child had their picture taken with him!
After the party, Home-Start put all of the kind comments and decorated Christmas pictures from families and volunteers into a big card. This was sent to Pinsent Masons as a way to thank the staff for all of their hard work and generosity.
One parent told us - “I thought the party was brilliant. It was my daughters and my first time, and we would come again. There was so much going on for the children.” Comments like this remind us why our parties are so
worthwhile and how they prove to be really rewarding for everyone who is involved.
We would like to thank everyone who came to Home-Start’s Christmas party, and
we hope that you all had as much fun as we did. Even though it’s months and months
away (it will soon pass!), we can’t wait to see old and new faces at the next party!
Investing in Volunteers Award Ceremony 7th December 2007
An IiV-ening of Celebration!
….and what an evening it was. It was fantastic to see so many volunteers, Trustees and staff at the investing in Volunteers Award Ceremony and Celebration on 20th November!
The party took place in the Crush Room/ Broderick Bar of Leeds Town Hall and the venue was festooned in balloons and beautiful flowers reflecting the new Home-Start colours of raspberry and orange, and an impressive banner introduced our exciting new logo!
There was plenty of time for all to catch up with “old” and new friends, chill out with drinks from the bar and sample the fabulous fusion (Asian-style) buffet.
There was also the chance to learn more about how volunteers, Trustees and staff have worked towards achieving the prestigious Investing in Volunteers award and also about some of our exciting new areas of work.
Undoubtedly, the highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Iiv award certificate. Grahame, family-visiting volunteer, mentor and former Trustee, whose Home-Start career has spanned almost 14 years, gave a heartfelt talk as his introduction and presentation of the award to Margaret Scally, founder and Trustee of our scheme.
Margaret gave a fascinating account of her inspirational work during the 1970’s and 1980’s, much of which was done as a volunteer, described why she feels the volunteer role is so unique and vital and gave us the background to the start of Home-Start Leeds in 1987. For the vast majority of the evening’s audience, it was the first time this story had been heard in such detail and it was a privilege to hear about the very first steps that led to the inspirational organisation that we know today!
Margaret’s own words said it all:
"Volunteering can best be described as the Gift Relationship. The volunteers give support and friendship to families, but receive back new skills and confidence. Volunteering empowers both the volunteer and the family that is helped".
Acknowledgements and our sincere thanks go to:
* Karen Loftus whose business “High Flyers” kindly donated us with our fabulous balloon displays for the evening. Karen would be very pleased to hear from you to discuss any balloon requirements for your future parties/celebrations! TEL: 07745 208529 or 0113 2872333
*Adele who supplied the fantastic floral display for the top table.
*The IiV party planners: who made such a great job planning and hosting the party!
*And last, but not least, our wonderful volunteers and Trustees without whom we wouldn’t be celebrating this fabulous achievement!
WELCOME TO HOME-START LEEDS! 23rd May 2007
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