Team volunteering days and sponsorship
Arrange a team volunteering day (over 18s only)
Spend a day volunteering in one of our projects and learning more about the work we do. Once we have welcomed and briefed your team, each person will be paired up with our regular volunteers for a variety of tasks. These might include: working in our kitchen or food pantry, serving drinks, helping to sort out donations, staffing our welcome desk, joining in and/or supporting our activities, working in our garden or community allotment.
There will be lots of opportunities for team members to talk with people in the service or to sit and have meal with them. We also have various activity sessions, which we encourage you all to fully participate in, rather than observe. It’s an easy way to just be alongside people and chat. The day ends with a de-briefing session, which is your team’s opportunity to ask questions, give feedback and learn more about what we have planned that you can help us with, as well as to capture your Team Photo and any permissions.
Contact us for more details.
Sponsor a room
Morning Star hostel: We are seeking 20 individuals, businesses or groups to sponsor a bedroom for 12 months. This will enable between 6-12 homeless people each year to move off the streets and have a lovely room with brand new bedding, towels, curtains, carpet, furniture, their own fridge and kettle and pictures on the wall to make it homely.
Young Parents’ accommodation: We are also seeking sponsorship of our 16 rooms for young parents and their infant children in Blackburn. This will enable between 16-20 young families each year to receive the good start to life a baby needs. A lovely room with brand new bedding, towels, carpet, baby items and furniture, kitchen accessories and decoration for the start to independent living.
Costs £1,500 per room each year. Contact us for more details.
Sponsor a course
Our wide range of projects support people of all ages and backgrounds throughout the year. Once an individual’s urgent practical needs are met, we have the joy of accompanying them to discover the areas of their life they’d like to change and improve or the skills and experience they’d like to acquire. Whether that’s skills for parenting, budgeting, cooking, English lessons, computer skills, or something else… you’ll know that you have helped someone on the next steps to transforming their lives with dignity.
“Everyone was so welcoming. I even managed to fix the curtains using techniques learnt.” Person having completed a course at Caritas.
For example, right now, your parish, business or group might wish to help us to provide the Incredible Years course for parents wishing to have effective tools in managing their child’s behaviour. This 12-18 week course aims to give new strategies as well as building on the ones already being used, to see an increase in positive behaviours and a reduction in challenging behaviours. This leaves parents feeling more confident and reduces household stress.
Costs £1,500 per person for the full course. Contact us for more details.
Sponsor an allotment plot or raised bed
By becoming a Caritas sponsor in this way, you will be helping to ensure that meaningful outdoor activities can take place all year-round at our 12 projects across Greater Manchester and Lancashire. It is a well-known fact that being outside in nature is good for your health – physically, mentally and spiritually – and the people who access support in this way continue to provide feedback that it’s been so helpful for their wellbeing.
‘It’s kept me off my addiction and I’ve had more confidence. I’ve met a bunch of beautiful people who are really nice, we’re like a team now. It’s my favourite day of the week, I feel like real calm, my anxiety goes, I don’t have all that tension.’ Person reflecting on their time on the allotment.
We are seeking 25 individuals, businesses or groups to support this initiative for the year. This will support approximately 75 people experiencing poverty, homelessness or disadvantage to take part in weekly gardening and DIY activities. It could pay for compost, seeds, starter plants (‘plugs’), tools, gloves, protective clothing and the right footwear, pots, string, netting, and time with the experts to learn and hone new skills.
Costs £350 per plot/bed for the year. Contact us for more details.
Sponsor an indoor activity
Every day in our projects across Greater Manchester and Lancashire, we like to have a full programme of meaningful activities designed by the people who access our services. We cannot provide this without the funding of sponsors and business friends.
Taking part in arts and crafts, drama, cooking, creative writing, music, composing, singing, painting or pottery is what makes us human. And just because you are homeless or struggling at the moment, doesn’t mean you should not be able to pursue these lifegiving activities.
“I enjoy the interaction with other people and the activities are great.” Person accessing our weekly activity programme.
We are seeking 50 individuals, businesses or groups to sponsors to support this initiative for 12-weeks. This will support approximately 150 people per quarter to take part in weekly indoor activities that improve their confidence, self-esteem and wellbeing as well as improve skills. It could pay for craft materials, paper and canvas, pens and paper, basic musical instruments, ingredients and cooking equipment, and time with the experts to learn and hone new skills.
Costs £250 to sponsor an activity. Contact us for more details.
