Q2
West & North Yorkshire Business
40 RAISING THE BAR STORIES
For me it was a safe haven Leeds volunteer bullied as a child urges people to play their part for children by becoming a Childline counsellor A volunteer from Leeds is urging more people to volunteer with Childline to help support young people continuing to struggle with the repercussions of the pandemic. 24-year-old Julia Plazzi from Leeds, who has been volunteering at the Yorkshire Childline base since 2017, is urging people to show their support for the children’s charity and be there for children whose lives have been turned upside down by the pandemic. Julia said: “I had contacted Childline as a young girl myself, I had faced bullying when I was younger because of my dual nationality and for me it was a safe haven, somewhere to talk. Then I remember Childline coming into my school, we had a day of learning about becoming a peer support mentor, I got a certificate and then at lunchtime friends could come and talk to me if ever they were feeling upset. So those experiences made me realise I always wanted to be there for young people.” The Yorkshire Childline base in the heart of Leeds city centre is one of 12 Childline bases across the UK, delivering counselling sessions to children and young people about everything from abuse, neglect and suicide to relationship breakdowns, exam stress and mental health concerns. But Leeds is one of only two bases in the UK to take online contacts only. This means that specially trained counsellors in Leeds only offer confidential advice either via email or live chat messages. But no matter where children and young people live, they can contact Childline via the phone or online and will be put through to the first available counsellor.
Rollits raises thousands for Dove House
Green light for refugee allotment project funding
Leading law firm Rollits LLP has handed over thousands of pounds to a regional hospice after revamping its regular fundraising events to offer Covid-safe alternatives.
A project providing refugees with allotment plots amongst the York community has won extra funding.
Rollits is now looking forward to generating more donations for Dove House Hospice by resuming other activities including the return of the firm’s annual golf day. Pat Coyle, Client Relations Director at Rollits, said: “The restrictions of the last year have had a severe impact on all charities and our usual programme of fundraising events has been heavily disrupted. We’re therefore particularly pleased that we were still able to raise well over £3,000 to help Dove House Hospice with its work caring for people in Hull and East Yorkshire and we are doubly determined to build on that by bringing back the golf day this year. “We’re confident that with the recent lifting of restrictions, the pent-up demand for a return to sporting activities will mean that golfers are keen to support good causes and we’re hoping that will help us attract a lot of participants for the golf day.” Jethro Shearring, Regional Fundraiser for Dove House Hospice, said: “Over the last year the pandemic has provided a huge number of both clinical and fundraising challenges at Dove House Hospice. The enforced closure of the hospice’s charity shops and cancellation of a number of fundraising events has meant that the support of the community has been more vital than ever. “Having been there for our patients and their loved ones for over 25 years, Rollits embody this generosity and consistently go the extra mile.”
York St John staff and students have been working in association with Refugee Action York to provide community allotment spaces for refugees. Jointly led by Fiona Howlett, Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy, and Dr Hannah Spring, Senior Lecturer in Research and Evidence-Based Practice at York St John University, the project transformed a disused allotment on Haxby Road in York into a beautiful space ready for planting and growing. At the heart of the project is the building of relationships, integrating refugees into the York community and providing meaningful activity. Extra funding has just been awarded from the Growing Green Spaces Fund towards travel costs to enable refugees to get to and from the site on a regular basis. Transport was identified as a barrier, and so the funding will meet this need head on. Dr Hannah Spring said: “We welcome this additional funding and the opportunity to continue this meaningful work. We have already seen relationships building as the allotment community welcomed project users into a WhatsApp group, offering seed exchange, equipment and advice. “For refugees, growing food and flowers can also help them connect with their own heritage through the growing of culturally relevant foods. It can also help to develop personal independence away from statutory services and begin to sustain relationships within the community.”
