Seven Northampton charities share how successful they have been in 2022 and their hopes for next year

Following a difficult year with the rising cost of living, Northampton’s charities have been more important than ever in supporting the town and county’s most vulnerable.

Chronicle & Echo spoke to seven charities and they revealed how much they have raised this year, their biggest achievements and events, and their hopes going into 2023.

Here is what they had to say…

Home-Start Northampton

Home-Start Northampton is a charity committed to improving the lives of families, with at least one child under the age of five. This year, excluding grant applications, the charity raised around £27,500.

Angela Draper, community supporters trustee lead, says their biggest achievement this year was “developing a successful team of community supporters” – who help the charity on an ad-hoc basis to allow home visiting volunteers to continue their great work of supporting their dedicated family each week.

“If we didn’t have volunteers, we would cease to exist,” said Angela.

Their most successful event of the year raised £13,000 and it was a sports dinner at the Old Northamptonians Rugby Club, hosted by patron and rugby legend Paul Grayson and his former teammate Matt Dawson.

A golf day was also hosted by ex-Saints legend Nick Beal, which raised £9,000, and those who ran the Northampton Half Marathon on behalf of the charity raised a collective £1,300.

Angela said: “We are so thankful that people see the importance of the work we do in supporting young families in need – after all, childhood can’t wait.”

The charity hopes next year will bring more support, both through funding opportunities and volunteers joining the “fantastic team”.

“With the current cost of living crisis, providing cost-effective support for families struggling with what life throws at them is imperative,” said Angela.

If anyone is interested in becoming a community support for Home-Start Northampton, click here.

Northamptonshire Mind

This year, mental health charity Northamptonshire Mind raised a total of £67,426 as a result of the many people who have hosted events across the county in aid of the cause.

Sarah Hillier, CEO of Northamptonshire Mind said: “All events, big or small, are successful in raising money and awareness.

“I am very proud of our services, particularly when we were awarded the Mind Quality Mark.”

The charity’s biggest achievement this year was launching its new community hub in the town, which Sarah says “would never have been possible without the support of local trades”.

Their most successful event was a sponsored walk hosted at Rutland Walk, which raised nearly £4,000.

“We are all honoured and touched by the generosity of people who spend their time and money on helping others,” said Sarah. “Their efforts make a world of difference and allow us to support the people who need us the most.”

The charity’s main hope for 2023 is to continue supporting those who need it, by providing them with a safe space to share how they truly feel. “I will be striving to raise awareness of mental health and ensure services continue to thrive and develop,” added the charity’s CEO.

For Northamptonshire Mind’s contact details to find out how you can get involved, click here.

Weston Favell Centre Food Bank

Weston Favell Centre Food Bank faced a tough year after having to leave their former premises, but managed to raise £33,292 in grants this year – plus a big grant from the Trussell Trust for hopefully a maximum of three years.

The organisation’s biggest achievement was moving premises when they lost their shop space in Weston Favell Shopping Centre, and making things work between their temporary spaces at Moulton park and Emmanuel Church.

After receiving a grant from the Trussell Trust for financial inclusion, the food bank will be welcoming in a community law service to support their visitors with debt, benefits, energy tariffs and immigration – as well as representing in court cases if needed.

Julie Parsons fundraiser for the Emmanuel Group of Churches said: “We want to thank everyone who has given to us in any way – to all clubs, churches, communities and schools. We’re so grateful, especially to our volunteers for giving their time and effort – you’re our heroes.”

The charity also wants to thank the continued support of Northamptonshire Community Foundation and O'Riordan Bond for the loan of a van, enabling them to transport the crates of food from their warehouse to the church to give out.

Their main aim is to find a new and permanent home for the food bank in 2023, which needs to be big enough to house their warehouse and public space and be close to Emmanuel Church.

“We hope people and organisations will continue to support us as the low-waged workers, children and families struggling and fighting social deprivation need our support now more than ever,” said Julie.

To donate to Weston Favell Food Bank’s Local Giving page, click here.

Northamptonshire Health Charity

Thanks to the “wonderful support” from Northamptonshire Health Charity’s donors and fundraisers, they have raised £1,078,000 from January until the end of November.

Their biggest achievements this year was being named Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce Charity of the Year, and Charity of the Year at the 2022 Northamptonshire Business Awards – which acknowledged their work in supporting all hospitals under the county’s NHS Foundation Trust.

Alison McCulloch head of fundraising said: “I’m overwhelmed and can’t believe we won. It means so much, not just to our charity team but to all the teams we support in the NHS and to all our generous donors.”

There were many events which helped them raise more than a million pounds this year, but an abseil down down the Lift Tower raised £4,094, a 13,000ft skydive day collectively raise £3,991, and their annual golf day raised £6,601 towards their appeals for a new play area, and bereavement suite.

The charity says they “appreciate how tough times have become and it means so much that people have continued to get involved with their fundraising events and hold their own”.

Looking to 2023, Northamptonshire Health Charity would like to work with more local businesses and corporates to help them meet their social responsibility objectives. They also hope to complete the fundraising for the children’s play area at Northampton General Hospital and for the work to begin.

With better facilities, improvements, training and wellbeing for staff, the charity hopes to see an improved NHS experience across the board.

To find out more about how you can get involved with Northamptonshire Health Charity’s work, click here.

Baby Basics

Baby Basics Northampton supports vulnerable families across the county, by providing them with starter packs of essentials that they otherwise would not be able to afford. Rather than cash donations, this charity is largely supported by “generous” public donations of physical products.

The charity says their biggest achievement has been re-establishing themselves within the county, by partnering with other organisations to support families in need and raising awareness of the work they do.

This year’s most successful fundraising events were held in The Gather Space in the Grosvenor and Weston Favell Shopping Centres, and they also felt “privileged” to host a successful teddy tombola at Grange Park Summer Fete.

“We want to thank our supporters from the bottom of our hearts,” said Sabrina Oakey, volunteer lead and donations coordinator. “Each pack ensures a baby has a safe space to sleep, the mum has all she needs for the first three months of her baby’s life, and families don’t have to choose between eating and buying essentials.”

Next year, the charity hopes to put a big push on fundraising with a number of events throughout the year – and this will only be possible with the help of supporters.

If anyone would like to hold an event next year in aid of Baby Basics Northampton, please email [email protected].

Hope Centre

This year, the Hope Centre has raised more than £650,000 to keep services going for homeless people and those experiencing hardship across the county. This money has enabled the team to work towards their biggest achievement, which fundraising manager Louise Danielczuk says is “responding to the need in the community”.

They have kept their doors open all year and opened four new community food clubs, enabling them to support 1,000 people each week – as well as having opened a new warm space.

The centre’s most successful fundraising events were the Sleep Out 2022, which sees people sleep out for one night to experience what it is like to be homeless, and the Ride for Hope – a three-day ride around Holland led by the volunteer committee.

Louise said: “To each and every person who has given their time, money or food, we would like to say thank you. Every donation has made a huge difference to the lives of people in our community.”

In 2023, the Hope Centre will continue to support those who are homeless and hungry across the county. They hope their “incredible army of volunteers” will continue to support by “giving the gift of time” and that the community will give as generously as they have this year.

To get involved with the Hope Centre’s work, click here.

The Lewis Foundation

The Lewis Foundation sources, packages and hand delivers free gifts and support packs to adult cancer patients in hospital every week.

The charity’s biggest achievement is winning the Entrepreneur for Social Good award at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, and the CEO and founder Lorraine Lewis winning the University of Northampton’s award for Black History Month.

“We are so busy doing our daily work that you don’t stop and think about the impact and difference you are making. Your focus is on helping,” said Lorraine.

The charity has been the recipient of £125,000 worth of surplus stock from Stephenson’s Online, which has facilitated their gift packs, events and monthly pop ups in the Grosvenor Centre.

The event which raised the most money for The Lewis Foundation this year was an abseil down the Lift Tower, which raised £7,949.27.

The founder and CEO said: “Without fundraising, we would not be able to provide our gifts at the volume we do. We want to say thank you for making a long lasting impact to others.”

Over the last six months, the charity has been working to introduce a palliative care box with Kettering General Hospital, which will be rolled out next year. This means patients and their families will have access to items that will provide comfort during end of life care.

The Lewis Foundation also looks forward to opening their own coffee shop in The Elgar centre in Upton and every purchase will support their work.

To find out how you can get involved with The Lewis Foundation, click here.