Recently Changing Lives Criminal Rehabilitation Services teams have been presented with two amazing opportunities to have trees planted to celebrate the work carried out by the Teams in Cleveland and Northumbria.
The Catalyst Conference and Awards in Stockton-on-Tees highlighted a year for those involved in the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector. The conference theme was ‘Working in Partnership’.
Changing Lives CRS Team Cleveland were nominated for the Community Impact Award, Sponsored by Gas Northeast. In total for the event were 88 nominations for 10 categories. This year instead of a traditional trophy Catalyst have decided to plant trees in honour of the winners. Staff will have the opportunity to help with the tree planting in March.
Service Manager Jill Openshaw said about the award:
"The Cleveland Team where honoured to receive The Community Impact Award. Community and Custody Staff complete outstanding work supporting the women they work with to integrate back into the local community, overcoming barriers to accessing healthcare needs, Mental health, housing, dependency and recovery and so much more.
"The team strive to ensure everyone receives a personal touch and women are always welcomed with open arms into the hubs where food and warm drinks are readily available. The work can be difficult, frustrating and extremely rewarding. To be recognised for all the positive work the team do is truly amazing!"
The Northumbria CRS Team has a long-standing relationship with the National Trust.
Women have been participating in a new programme - Blossom - held at the National Trust Seaton Delaval Hall site. Through this, the women had an opportunity to explore the historical and amusing aspects of family life for those who used to reside in the Hall who were very well known for their extravagant party lifestyle and mischievous behaviour.
Women we support have experienced significant benefits from attending including, social connections, enhanced well-being and confidence building.
The team now have access to community passes which allow them to access the sites year-round, giving them an opportunity to use this unique setting for appointments rather than accessing women’s hubs or probation offices.
Consideration and planning were key to ensure the women felt they were in a safe space. The team went to great lengths to ensure sessions were appropriately planned and the women were well cared for.
Our Service Manager Dawn Harrison said:
"The National Trust staff team at Seaton Delaval Hall have taken part in the Story Chair toolkit training which is designed to help practitioners to think creatively when working with people including the women our service supports, it is equally important that we seek their feedback and offer support where needed if we are to expand the community provision available to women.
"The Blossom programme continues to have a long-lasting impact with wider Changing Lives and will see a Blossom tree being donated and planted in the garden at Alex’s place this March. The women have taken great pleasure in growing some of the plants from Delaval Hall and Gibside so to have the blossom tree donated is very special and we are hugely thankful."
One of the women we supported said about the programme:
"It was nice not to talk about domestic abuse for a full day, and Andrew (Senior Volunteering & Community Officer at Seaton Deleval Hall) is such a different kind of man."
