500 together

Our friends at Shasbah messaged us with a very urgent request for help. They had received a call from a desperate parent. Her 6 year old daughter has hydrocephalus caused by a brain tumour. Whilst under care at Sheffield Children's Hospital something was found requiring urgent investigation and she was referred to specialists in London as a priority case. The mum, who is a single parent on Universal Credit with her own health conditions simply did not have the money for fuel and accomodation, particularly not at such very short notice. Shasbah asked if we could pay £265 which would cover the accommodation costs. We were able to send this money across immediately and offer reassurance that if she needed to stay an additional night, we would be able to contribute towards that too. It was wonderful that because of the donations you send in, we were able to help relieve at least that part of the mum's enormous anxiety.

One of our members told us about E, a survivor of domestic abuse, who has experienced significant trauma throughout her life. She is currently pregnant and caring for her young daughter. She has accepted a lot of support and has made remarkable progress, becoming much more independent and working hard to create a safe and nurturing home for her daughter. She is looking forward to welcoming her new baby. Unfortunately, E is currently experiencing Hyperemesis Gravidarum (severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy) and has also faced several other health concerns requiring frequent hospital appointments. These circumstances have placed additional financial pressure on her through travel and other associated costs. E’s bed frame is currently broken and due to her financial situation, she is unable to afford a replacement.  We fully understood how a new bed frame would significantly improve her comfort and wellbeing, especially during her pregnancy.   E has also been trying to save for...

One of our members told us about a man who has been discharged from an in person mental health ward and has only been given Band D non-priority housing status so has been living in a tent near Crystal Peaks since early summer.   He is accepted for Universal Credit but that inevitably takes a while to materialise, leaving him with no funds at all. He is being supported with food from the food bank but with no access to money he has nothing. We gave the organisation who are helping him  £500 to help him get some food vouchers and a 28 day bus pass, which allowed him to get out and about - including accessing his mental health support.  They have updated us, telling us they have helped him with a potential housing option and supported him with other appointments and that he is feeling more optimistic about his future. It is always wonderful to be able to offer our tiny piece of help to local organisations that support people in situations like this.  We know our £500 offers just a very sh...

We are pleased to be back with news of donation 272. One of our members got in touch to ask if we could help a local family whose 8 year old daughter suffers with her mental health and social anxiety and isolation. She has started at a local Brownie unit to encourage her to interact with her peers and build resilience and confidence. She would love to continue attending, but the family is struggling financially, is accessing food parcels and just do not have the spare cash to cover subs and an updated uniform to allow their daughter to continue. We were delighted to be able to help and have paid £392 to cover the final 2 years of her brownies subs as well as a new uniform. We know this will make a big difference for this young girl to have the security of knowing her place is secure and hope her interactions and experiences within the Brownie community will help her. As always, thank you for continuing to support us with your weekly contributions and thoughtful nominations. I...

With our latest donation we have paid for a skip to help a victim of domestic abuse who has recently had a baby. Due to mental health difficulties and significant stress, they are unable to clear belongings from their previous property.  Our member told us how the skip would provide practical support, reduce stress, and help them focus on their newborn and wellbeing. This will also mean she can hand back the keys to the council for this property and will not incur any charges towards clearance which she would not be able to afford and would place her in arrears. We have sent £185 to pay for the skip hire - and have invited this member to come back to us if they felt there was any additional help the mum and her baby might need in the coming months. Thank you all for continuing to support us , for sending in your thoughtful nominations and allowing us to carry out these small acts of kindness in our community.

Earlier in the summer, our friends at Nomad Opening Doors https://nomadsheffield.co.uk asked if we would be able to help them fund a day trip for some of their tenants. Nomad supports people to move on from homelessness and rebuild their lives. Last year, they supported over 300 people, with 87% sustaining their tenancy and 85% progressing into education, employment or volunteering within 12 months. Over half of the people they support are aged 18–35, many of whom are unemployed, living with unresolved trauma and lacking strong support networks. At assessment, more than 70% present with mental health challenges, reflecting the level of need among those they work with. They wanted to organise a trip for some tenants living in their supported accommodation who are often unemployed, socially isolated and lacking strong support networks. Many are refugees who face additional barriers including language difficulties, low confidence and feeling disconnected from their local community. In...