|
Dear colleague,
Our Devon care leavers urgently need
your help to make this Christmas the best ever!
Through my work with the Care Leavers Foundation and the New Belongings
Project, I regularly meet with our care leavers and take the opportunity to
find out more about the issues facing them from their perspective.
At one meeting Sam Heaton, apprentice in the
Participation Team, told me how lonely it can be for care leavers at Christmas
and how it would be great if Devon could celebrate Christmas with its young
people. I absolutely agree with Sam that this can be a difficult time for
many, so I’m delighted that she has been working with Matt Langsford, a fellow
care leaver, from SET (Support Enhance Thrive) charity to help make this
Christmas the best possible day for our care leavers.
Parents are there
to support and help their children; care leavers often don't have this option. As a corporate parent, Devon County
Council has a legal and moral duty to provide children in care and care leavers
with the kind of support that any good parents would provide for their own
children, and as a Devon County Council employee, you’re a corporate
parent.
This Christmas, our aim is to provide
a free event for over 80 young people from across Devon to
attend and enjoy, but we can only achieve this by working
together as corporate parents.
We are asking all
staff, Members and schools to join us for a day of activities on Thursday 22
September to raise funds for SET. You can do this by – for a donation of £1 or
more – dressing up, dressing down or coming to work in fancy dress… the
choice is yours! And there will be activities at the
Coaver, County Hall, Exeter.
If
you would like to help by volunteering to raise donations locally, bake cakes or even
run a stall on the day please contact Sam, sam.heaton@devon.gov.uk or Matt, info@setcharity.org.uk
Please do let your family and friends know about the
day and encourage them to come along.
We’re also looking for volunteers in the run up to the Christmas day
event, on the day itself, and afterwards. We urgently need donations – including
food, Christmas presents, a venue, PA equipment, Christmas decorations – and
more! Please contact Matt info@setcharity.org.uk
Let’s make this a special day to remember for our young care
leavers; thank you for your support.
Best wishes,
 Phil Norrey
Chief Executive, Devon County Council
www.setcharity.org.uk/christmas-dinner-scheme.html
www.setcharity.org.uk/devon-services.html
|
