NDNightstop DevonAutumn Newsletter 2011

Happy 10th Birthday Nightstop Devon

Guardian Charity of the Year 2011

Community and Corporate Fundraising

Big Lottery Success 2011

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A snap shot of Nightstop DevonSeptember 2011 was a record month for the project with:

- Total Referrals 84- Total Bednights 70

- Young people referred 16- Young people stayed 9

Financial Year 2010-2011

- 671 Referrals- Over 500 placements set up

-171 individual young people supported

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Once again it has been a busy time for our volunteer hosts who always show awarm welcome to the young people who stay with them. We have recently recruitedseveral new drivers, covering Exeter, Mid Devon & the Teignbridge areas whichgive us a lot more flexibility in travel arrangements.

A group of Nightstop volunteers visited the Amber Foundation this summer whichgave us an insight into what Amber can provide to young people, we were showedaround by a young person that had used Nightstop , and we were impressed at themany opportunities that young people are offered.

We welcome new Hosts:

- Sue from Kenton and Karen & Victor from Exeter.- Lynda & Stuart and Steve & Heidi from the Tiverton area, Steve is also a

volunteer driver.- Ann and Jo from Exeter and Peter from Dawlish, who are also drivers.- We also have several volunteers awaiting induction training.

Our next induction Training day is Saturday 10th December, if you would like toget involved with Nightstop as a volunteer , please give us a call on 01392274853.

Volunteer Updates 2011

Some of our volunteers on a recent trip to the Amber Foundation, Devon.

Nightstop Devon:Guardian Charity of the Year 2011We're delighted to announce that we have been chosenas the winners of the Guardian Newspaper Charity ofthe Year Awards for 2011! Around 1000 charities fromaround the country entered the prestigious awards thisyear and we are one of five national winners. Thewinners were chosen by a panel, including Dame SuziLeather, the head of the Charity Commission. The prizeincludes £6,000 prize money and free support andconsultation from the Foundation for SocialImprovement and the Media Trust.

This award is testament to the amazing work ourvolunteers have done over the last ten years, so we'dlike to add our thanks to them!

David Brindle, public services editor from theGuardian, said "It's invariably the multi-million-pound household names of the charity world that grabthe limelight. For 19 years, we have showcasedexcellence among small and medium-sized charities andgiven a much-needed boost to organisations strugglingto get the profile and funding they need to moveforward... The awards offer a priceless leg-up toorganisations that are delivering practical solutionsto present-day problems, never more important than ata time of economic difficulty and unprecedented publicspending cuts"

Check the Guardian website for photos of the awardsceremony, and a short video they comissioned aboutNightstop Devon.

Councillors and sleeping bags

How long have you been in politics?Brenda: too long! I was elected to East Devon District Council in 1987 after years ofvolunteer work with the W.R.V.S. and other volunteer agencies in the town.

Favourite causes close to your heart?Brenda: Housing has always been a priority, Every one needs a decent home,to keepfamilies together, for children to flourish.

Favourite flavour of ice cream?Brenda: Chocolate.

Your thoughts on Nightstop Devon?Brenda: A wonderful service, so many splitfamilies cause upsets and “Nightstop” comes tothe rescue.

Eileen: With young single homeless people, theyare somewhat invisible. They are the peoplethat fall into a black hole.

What are you views on the cuts?Eileen:I think with the cuts its always thevulnerable people, the people who cant, or dontknow how to stand up for themselves,they arethe ones that are in the firing line. This iswhy it is so good that there are organisationslike Nightstop, and if we can help supportthem, maybe not always with money, but in otherways like raising awareness,it will help asthese issues need bringing to the foreground.

It was a sunny afternoon in earlySeptember, in a busy Exmouth cafewhere I was joined by the lovely CountyCouncillors Brenda Taylor (ExmouthWithycombe Raleigh) and Eileen Wragg(Exmouth town). Both women exuded aninstant and infectious warmth as wellas an overwhelming popularity as somany people greated them en route tothe cafe, that I felt I was walkingalong with two local celebrities!

Back in March, Nightstop Devon issued 47bespoke sleeping bag applications(below)to Devon County Councillors, making apledge for a donation from theirindividual Community funds. Wonderfullyboth Eileen and Brenda made donations to us for a combined £2500, for which we areso so grateful, as at the time our funding was not guaranteed, and our futureuncertain, so without a doubt, in our eyes they really are our Community Champions.

Quick Fire questions...

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Louise-Michelle Heath, Charity Project Manager at Rentshield says:

“The amount raised this year is incredible and we are pleased to havehelped such a worthy cause. Not only have all Rentshield employees beenbehind this, but also the local Teignmouth residents who have sponsored

us, donated into our collection box and allowed us to publicize intheir shops. Everyone involved has made this a success and we all look

forward to next year where we aim to beat 2011”

5Photo Focus

Hard Times

In terms of maintaining our little project,community engagement and awareness isparamount. This year we have been so lucky ingaining the support of local community groupsand employers. In July 2011 5000 plastic duckswere released in the Sidmouth Lion's AnnualDuck Derby, as one of their nominatedcharities, we were granted with a cheque for avery generous £1600, and despite thetorrential rain it was a wonderful example ofDevonian spirit, accompanied by many a plasticyellow duck.

In March of this year, Nightstop Devon securedits first corporate sponsor. This came in theshape of a Teignmouth based company calledRentshield Direct. With Gary Abraham at thehelm, and the amazing efforts of his team atRentshield, they have arranged innovativeevents throughout the year including a CharitySleepout and Virtual Horse Racing Night.

Rentshield Direct, who reference prospectivetenants for landlords and letting agentsnationally have also been donating 1p fromeach completed reference which has contributedto over £500 of this year’s total.

This year through all of the teams efforts,they have completed their fundraising for 2011and raised an incredible £1750 for NightstopDevon.

Barbon Insurance Group, the UK’s leadingproperty insurance specialist and the parentcompany of Rentshield Direct, have alsodoubled the amount raised by Rentshield andmade this year’s total an amazing £3500.

Their continued support and enthusiasm as madefor a wonderful relationship that we hopecontinues into the future.

Lastly, on the eve of Nightstop Devon's 10thbirthday, we received a donation from StaurtDry on behalf of the Co operative's MembershipCommunity Fund this donation of £730 isgreatly received, and will go a long way inensuring the future of our project and it'spotential developments into 2012.

Ducks, Horses and Community

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Mental Health and young people...Told:Retold ProjectThere couldn't have been a more fittingway to celebrate 10 years of NightstopDevon than with a sell out show devisedby young people that have foundthemselves struggling with their housingsituations. As the workshops drew to aclose,the innovative play Told:Retoldwas born within a week to thecelebrations.

The Bikeshed Theatre Exeter was to bethe venue. Directed by Katie Villa andLiz Pennington, managed by Justine Bock,and expertly acted by Chloe Whipple andJoe Sellman-Leava, TOLD:RETOLD aimed tobe a challenging and energetic new workdevised from the stories of youngautobiographical writers from ExeterFoyer and Nightstop. A box of stories isopened on stage; hidden lives anddefining moments are revealed. TOLDfirst hand, RETOLD on stage by actors.

"I enjoyed being part of Told:Retoldvery much, the final production wasAMAZING, I just loved the way they

transitioned from one story to another!"[Oliver, 13]

"I carried out the 3 writing tasks thatwere given to me by Nightstop for thetold retold performance, and sent themoff in the post. Being a keen writeranyways I very much enjoyed these tasksand found them to be fun and a goodopportunity to be creative. I waspleased and impressed with theperformance and in particular the waythat they performed my work andintegrated it into the othercontributors work." [Martyn, 21]

"The two young actors were very animatedand their facial expressions were great.The play was very poignant in places butinterlaced with humour which preventedwhat could have been something verydepressing into an hour ofentertainment. It did, however, make youthink and brought a lump to my throat inplaces. Not usually my thing,alternative theatre, but this was verywell done."[Nightstop Driver]

Feedback on the Night:

Wednesday 1st February Budgeting Skills.Thursday 2nd February Tenancy Skills.10-2pm, Mccoys Arcade, Fore St, Exeter. [Lunch included]

Call 01392 274853 and speak to Kt for more information.

Tenancy Skills and BudgetingSkills for Young People

Workshops 2012

We're delighted to be able to announce that wehave been awarded a further 3 years funding fromthe National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund.This is the 4th time we have received lotteryfunding and continues a relationship that goesback 10 years now. Alongside other funding we havesecured this gives us some stability and means wecan plan for the future knowing that a large partof our budget is safe.

The funding starts in Oct 2011 and includes fundsto enable us to pay for mediation sessions foryoung people where they may be beneficial. This isgreat news as there has long been a need for thissort of service for Nightstop users, this washighlighted in the evaluation that PlymouthUniversity did for us last year. We are alsocurrently in the process of applying for extrafunding to enable us to extend Crashpad. This wasalso recommended as an area for development by theevaluation. We are finding that increasing numbersof young people could benefit from a Crashpadplacement, as the move-on process has become muchmore lengthy as a result of the recent cuts tohousing provision for vulnerable youngsters.

Big Results with the Big LotteryFor Nightstop Devon

- Could you prevent a young person from sleeping rough?- All you need is a spare room- Expenses of £15 a night- Full Induction training provided-References and CRB checks are mandatory

Tel: 01392 274853

NightstopVolunteersneeded

Registered Charity No. 1071945Limited Company No. 3635743

Front Cover Image by Jeremy Juane

M AdamsBBC Children in Need

L BrowneJ Collins

Co-operative Community InvestmentCYPS Crashpad Vols Recruitment

Depaul UK (Rentshield)East Devon District Council

EDDC CouncillorsExeter Cathedral

Exmouth Spirtual Circle of LightM Hardware

Albert Hunt Trust (Crashpad)Ironmonrers Trust

Anton Jurgens Charitable TrustBeatrice Laing TrustLions Club Duck Race

Mid Devon District CouncilMusbury PCC Freewill Offering

National LotteryNat West Bank

Northcott Devon FoundationOttery St Mary Parochial Church

S L & C E J ParkerPennon GroupRentshieldM Roberts

St Marks Parochial ChurchSeaton PCC

Henry Smith CharityMrs D E Smykulis

SHDC N/Stop Spot Purchase Bed NightSteel Charitable Trust

Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust