Activity Update – September
Over the last six months Big Hearts has managed to shift its delivery model, providing emotional and practical support to over 8,000 vulnerable people across the community.
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to disrupt daily life, the charity of Heart of Midlothian FC is providing an update on their activity until the end of the year.
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The health and safety of our volunteers, staff, programme participants and members of the public remain our priority.
With that in mind, we can confirm that our 6th annual Kinship Family Day and 2nd Big Hearts Gala Fundraiser will not be taking place in 2020.
Our team is closely following the latest Scottish Government’s announcements that will lead to a safe return of group activities, including indoor youth work.
We are working with our delivery and funding partners to review each project and assess risks. This September will see a progressive return to face-to-face support – meeting one household at a time and always with physical distancing.
Our main programmes will carry on with a combination of remote & one-to-one support:
- Kinship Care programme: Our staff remain in close contact with all people involved in our usual family after-school club, teenage group and male carers group. This new school term focuses on safe opportunities to meet again, in public spaces or in their home, to offer tailored advice to carers and wellbeing support to children. Our ‘cooking club’ initiated over the summer encourages family connections and healthy eating through free food provisions. Contact us.
- Memories programme: Replacing our Football and Edinburgh Memories sessions at the Stadium, fortnightly ‘memories at home’ parcels are available via free subscription – click here. In addition, Big Hearts conducts weekly phone calls to over 65s most isolated and runs a new Heritage Project open to remote volunteers.
- Youth Befriending: Weekly meetings between volunteers & their befriended young person have resumed, with online group support still available. On-going recruitment & training of new volunteer befrienders with our partner Space to meet increasing needs – find out more.
- School’s Out project: Our holiday project for local pupils was extended significantly this year with five consecutive months of door-to-door deliveries of activity & food parcels. Taking a break in September, the project will be back for the half-term holidays in October where Big Hearts will provide free packed meals and vouchers for family days out.
- The Changing Room: Regular online drop-in groups are hosted during the week with our partner SAMH, along with new ‘walk and talk’ wellbeing opportunities – contact us.
- Covid-19 Helplines: Launched in March, our three dedicated landline numbers are still in place to provide free advice and emotional support – click here for more details.
Our football-focused activities based at the Stadium will remain on hold until further notice:
- Kicking the Habit: 12-week project for adults in recovery, run in partnership with Turning Point.
- T.E.A.M project: Multicultural youth after-school club, run in partnership with MCFB.
- Go Fitba: Health & wellbeing education for primary pupils, supported by the SFP Trust.
Our team is currently planning for the Christmas period – our busiest time of the year. Big Hearts remains committed to offer practical help to local groups facing poverty and loneliness over the winter. We will provide updates on this in due course.
Thank you for your continued support and stay safe,
Big Hearts Community Trust