Happy New Year
We hope you all had a lovely holiday and are feeling refreshed and ready for 2024!
Hammersley Homes’ 2024 goal: This year we aim to host more fundraising events and concentrate our funding on working towards building our first Hammersley Home.
What’s yours?
2023 Highlights
Student Innovation Programme
The wonderful students of Southampton University have supported us once again this year by taking part in the Student Innovation Programme.
We met with two teams – the Yellow Team and the Blue Team and presented them with a project brief to research how to run an effective crowdfunding campaign. They had four weeks to conduct their research before reporting their findings to us on December 7th.
When Sarah, Jo and Louise returned they were blown away by the students’ hard work and will be using their findings to launch a crowdfunding campaign that we hope will allow us to build our very first Hammersley Home.
Thank you Southampton!
The New Forest Show
Another year at the New Forest show and despite the grey clouds and relentless downpours – the crowds still came!
We chatted with so many people over the three days about the challenges that those living with long-term mental illness face. We spread the word about our work with Joanne’s glitter tattoos and quizzes that highlighted some really shocking statistics. Attempt the quiz youself here.
Expanding our Outreach Programme
Our Outreach Programme continues to grow as we offer our services to more of Hampshire. We are now offering support across Hampshire.
In 2024, we aim to expand this even further to support as many people as possible.
Bringing in the New Year
Wow, did 2024 get off to a good start over at the Railway Inn!
This year the Railway Inn hosted its first annual Rootsenanny music event – and what a fantastic event it was. Six original music acts from Roots Open Mic Night took to the floor and wowed everyone with their talent.
The Railway Inn kindly nominated Hammersley Homes as one of the two charities they supported on this night so a massive thank you to them for hosting such an incredible event on our behalf.
“It was a great night that we thoroughly enjoyed the drink, music and holiday vibe there. There were so many great performers playing their own songs, and each of them showed their talent in singing and performing. We all agree that this was an excellent event and a perfect example of a successful event for Hammersley Homes to collect more donations.”
Plans for 2024
Our Autumn Walk
Hammersley Homes is always discussing the impact of living with mental health challenges and mental illnesses – whether that be at fayres, events or with friends and families.
To help us raise awareness of Hammersley Homes and our cause, Priya Mohan has joined the team as the Project Manager of our Autumn Walk. We are incredibly excited to have her on board and she has already got her teeth stuck into planning! She has begun to collaborate with the Park Run Team in the local area and they have been incredibly supportive.
In September 2024, we will be taking a walk through Wilverley Plain to raise awareness and vital funds for the work that we do here at Hammersley Homes. This will be a fun event for the family and a lovely opportunity to chat with members of the local community. If you’re looking for some fresh air and exercise- we would love for you to join us! Stay tuned for further updates.
A message from Priya Mohan
Project Manager of our Autumn Walk
“Hello! I’m Priya Mohan, and I’m the Project Coordinator for the Autumn Walk 2024. Originally from India, I’ve been living in the UK for over a year after completing my master’s at the University of Southampton. Joining the Hammersley Homes Family has been a wonderful journey so far.
Working on the Autumn Walk has been an exciting endeavour. The planning process has not only allowed me to contribute to a meaningful cause but has also been a fantastic learning experience. Beyond the organizational aspects, I’m personally looking forward to incorporating a focus on fitness into the walk. As we plan this event, I see an opportunity not only to contribute to a worthy cause but also to encourage a healthy lifestyle.
The Autumn Walk is not just about a stroll; it’s a chance for us to come together, raise awareness, and support Hammersley Homes. I encourage each one of you to join this walk and be part of something meaningful. Your participation will contribute to our cause and make a positive impact on the community.
Join us, support Hammersley Homes, and let’s create a better future together!”
Funding and the Future
Last year we received a generous grant from the Charlotte Bonham-Carter Charitable Trust to support the cost of staff as we continue to increase our Outreach Programme. With this grant and the Lottery funding, our Outreach Programme is secure until 2026.
We cannot thank our donors enough for their support. We are extremely grateful and with your help, we can continue to support those who need us most. This also means that we can now concentrate our funding on working towards opening our first Hammersley Home.
What's in the News
A promise broken
We were promised reforms to our mental health system but after no reference to this in the outlining of government priorities for this year many have been left feeling hopeless and betrayed. With more and more stories of suffering and loss of life filling the news we had hoped to see more action to resolve the mental health crisis we find ourselves in.
Five years and no therapy
A soldier took his own life after waiting to receive therapy for 5 years. He developed PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) after serving in Afghanistan. Mental health services in the NHS need more funding if we wish to avoid tragedies like this.
Hope for the future
Work to complete two psychiatric intensive care units begins in Dorset this year. Care will be available from 2026, meaning that patients who have been sent hundreds of miles away can now be treated closer to home.
Our Amazing Volunteers
Our volunteer Olivia speaks out about how she supports those living with loneliness and the amazing things that herself and our team of volunteers were doing throughout Christmas to support those who were finding the season challenging.
Volunteer of the month
Blog-a-holic Bryan Woods
The mind behind our fantastic blogs, Bryan Woods, kindly agreed to share his experiences and thoughts about the work we do here at Hammersley Homes.
1. What inspired you to write your blogs for Hammersley Homes?
Whilst looking online for another volunteering role, I found the vacancy for a blog writer for Hammersley Homes. It seemed a very worthwhile organisation to become involved with.
I have lived experience of mental illness. This included admissions to various hospital wards. I have also written magazine articles for more than forty years. More recently I have written online blogs. I wanted to take my lived experience and my writing skills, to do something positive with them.
The mental health system in this country is severely underfunded. After many years of cuts to its budget, it is now at breaking point. I want to do anything I can to highlight this, and hopefully help to change it.
2. Why do you think that the work Hammersley Homes does is important?
I believe it fills a gap in the mental health system. Too often people who are suffering from enduring mental health challenges do not receive proper long-term support. This is especially true when patients are discharged from mental health wards.
Through such services as its Home Visiting Programme and Telephone Support Programme, Hammersley Homes helps to provide that much needed support.
3. What is your experience with Mental Health?
I first began to develop problems with my mental health in the late 1990s. It was then that I started to suffer from depression. I have also experienced anxiety – particularly social anxiety – for many years.
I was hospitalised on a number of occasions.
Today I am a Volunteer Peer Support Worker with Havant and East Hants Mind. I have also learnt how to manage my mental health issues in a better way. For example, by meditating when I am anxious. Sometimes even simple breathing exercises can help.
4. What advice would you give to people who are struggling?
Open up about what it is you are struggling with and why. Talking to someone else can really help. Apart from the NHS there are organisations and charities such as Mind that offer support.
Remember that to some extent you are responsible for your own mental well-being. Try to look after this just as you would with your physical health. Mindfulness/meditation, regular exercise, and a balanced diet are amongst the things that can help.
Know that it will pass. This is not always easy when, for example, you are in the grip of a bout of depression. But it WILL pass. I never thought I would be able to recover from my own mental health issues. However, I did and today I can manage them and lead a normal life. And so can you.
Read some of Bryan’s amazing blogs here.
Support our work
If you are able to make regular donations to Hammersley Homes, be that £1 or £10, the progress that we can make would be enormous. If you’re considering regular donations, please click the donate button below. As always, thank you for all of your support! We really couldn’t do it without you.
Please spread the word about our vital work OR DONATE just £3 a month to change a life, by texting 3HOMES to 70580.
Texts cost £3 plus two standard rate messages and you’ll be opting in to hear more about our work and fundraising via telephone and SMS. If you’d like to give £3 but do not wish to receive marketing communications, text 3HOMESNOINFO to 70580.
Hammersley Homes – Registered Charity Number 1180673
