Thank you and Merry Christmas...

Merry Christmas everyone! Santa has delivered his presents to the children at With Kids early! We've had such a successful Christmas party this year with plenty of smiling faces, tasty food, great fun and festive cheer.

We really do appreciate each and everyone of you who has donated. However we wanted to say a few very special thanks to Tommy Keay, Julie, Sharon and all the staff at Calton Fire Station who went above and beyond the call of duty in helping - there is no thanks in the world that can do you justice.

David Smith and his family for volunteering - the time they gave was astounding. Thank you to our other brilliant volunteers - Laura, Anna, Lorraine and Dean!

Unite for humphing a squillion tables and chairs and for all their help this year. And to the Thistle Hotel for giving us tables and chairs.

Our fantastic Ambassador Ross Morrison for coming along with his family and giving a much needed hand.

Mortons for for donating cakes and trifles and Joe Smith for his marvellous DJing skills.

All the With Kids staff and (very) long suffering friends and family who all pitched in. And to everyone that donated, helped and spread the word - a huge thank you. We literally couldn't have done it without you - your support has been incredible and it's you that's made it all possible.

We helped 60 families this year with presents and food hampers for Christmas. We had 55 families attend our party and all got a present from Santa who kindly came all the way from the North Pole to hand them out.

To all of the With Kids supporters, donators, friends and to all our lovely families we would like to wish you all a very very Merry Christmas and an extremely prosperous 2013!

Keep an eye out for our photos which will be posted very soon!

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

With Kids Ladies Lunch - 29Glasgow

With Kids would like to invite you to be part of our inaugural Ladies Lunch, taking place in 29 Private Members Club on Sunday 27th January 2013. With Kids seek to break the cycle of deprivation by intervening in the lives of young children with play therapy schemes that seek to strengthen their self esteem and bring out their innate gifts.

The Ladies Lunch promises to be an afternoon you and your guests will not forget and you will help raise funds for some of Glasgow and Edinburgh’s most disadvantaged and vulnerable children.

The afternoon, hosted by With Kids Ambassador Kathleen McDermott, will begin with a champagne reception, followed by a delicious 2-course lunch, and will include entertainment by the fabulous Edward Reid - semifinalist on Britain’s Got Talent and tribute band Could it Be Take That.

The event will be organised by Fatbuzz in aid of With Kids, the charity that seeks to offer a new approach to help vulnerable children and families.

There are a variety of ways in which you can help. You could become a sponsor for the afternoon or you could take a table. A table for 10 is priced at £500 or individual tickets can be bought for £50.

If you are unable to attend perhaps, you could help in some other way? We are looking for auction and raffle prizes or maybe you would simply like to make a donation?

To book a ticket, or table, please email events@fatbuzz.com

You can now follow With Kids Glasgow and Edinburgh on Twitter, where you can keep up to date with our latest news and information.

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

With Kids article in The Guardian

Here at With Kids it is extremely important for us to highlight that austerity and poverty can hit anyone at any given time, no matter what their background or circumstance is.

Over the past few months we have tried to stress how vitally important your donations are to our Christmas Appeal - but Kevin McKenna's column in The Guardian on December 9 articulated it better than we could have ever hoped for.

The reality of real poverty can be witnessed all over Glasgow this Christmas which is why we work with vulnerable and isolated families in the East End of Glasgow. At any one time, we are in contact with 120 families caring for 336 children.

But to reach all of the children and their families who will need emergency help this Christmas there would need to be another 10 charities such as With Kids. We have witnessed massive reductions in the disposable incomes of the families we help due to a combination of increasing food prices, huge increases in fuel costs and the UK Government's cuts in welfare benefits, as outlined recently by Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne.

If you have yet to read the article then I highly recommend you do. This is a very interesting and sobering article that hits home with families across Glasgow and beyond - which you can read here. Via The Guardian.

Thank you Kevin for highlighting these issues that are closer to home that many may know.

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

Your help goes a very long way...

Christmas is a time of the year that can be really tough financially. Each year we provide families that are struggling by providing presents, food hampers and credit towards utility bills for families that will otherwise go without.

Here at With Kids, we hear some heartbreaking stories of people left in desperate situations with literally nowhere to turn.

Last year we worked with many families who were in great need of support.

One particular family had 6 children and the mother had become so severely ill with MS that the father had to give up work to care for her and the kids.

Another woman's husband had walked out on her and their 3 kids taking every penny with him and leaving them with nothing. They'd planned to use his wage to go out shopping at the beginning of December but he used it to set up a new flat. She tried desperately to get loans but couldn't and finally heard about us 5 days before Christmas.

One woman had bought presents for the kids but at the expense of her electricity. She had a meter but every time she spent £10 on her card, £7 was taken towards her debt leaving her with just £3. She couldn't afford it in the run up to Christmas so stopped buying the cards, cutting herself off and leaving her without any heat or light.

Sadly, these stories aren't isolated incidents, you hear variations of them time and time again.

All families, regardless of background find that they have difficulties from time to time and too often parent's may not be aware of available support or the best action to take. With Kids aim to fill that gap and to provide flexible support that is suited to the needs of children and parents.

That is why we wanted to  take the time to thank our friends who have supported us and donated to the charity. We could not do it without you so from the bottom of our hearts, thank you!

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

Charity Casino Event

Do you want to spend the night in the style of 007 or one of his glamorous Bond girls AND raise money for a good cause at the same time?

Have you watched the latest Bond film, Skyfall in awe and wanted to live that glamourously exciting life for just one night?

If so, some of With Kids' supporters have very kindly organised a fantastic James Bond themed casino night that will leave you shaken AND stirred.

The night has been organised by Paula Anderson, Ines Fertig, Dounia Cherif, Shelby Dorrian and Tiphaine Le Gouis from The University of Strathclyde - and we can't thank them enough for their support.

The night will be held on Wednesday the 28th November 2012 at Glasgow's O'couture, and will start at 7pm.

Tickets are £6.50 and include fun money to buy chips for the games, a buffet and entry to O'couture ALL night.

You will get the chance to play black jack, poker, roulette (not Russian) and of course wheel of fortune.

A prize of a bottle of champagne will be presented to the person with the most chips at the end of the night, and there are also plenty of prizes to be won at a raffle on the night.

If you want to find out more about the night, you can click HERE to view the event on Facebook.

Sponsorship Opportunities

The organisers of the event are looking for companies to kindly sponsor tables on the night.

Sponsorship will cost just £100 and in return, they will ensure to have the company's name and logo on the table, on all tickets and posters and all advertising of the event.

If you want to enquire about sponsorship, or if you can donate any prizes for the raffle, please get in touch with Paula Anderson on paula_anderson30@hotmail.com.

Alternatively, you can get in touch with any of the organisers on the Facebook Event page.

Have you found this post of interest? If so, then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

JCI Glasgow 75th Anniversary Dinner

JCI Glasgow has been helping young business people and entrepreneurs grow and develop for the past 75 years, and to celebrate their 75th Anniversary Dinner, they are lending some support to With Kids.

Formed as Glasgow Junior Chamber of Commerce in 1937, JCI Glasgow is a not for profit organisation run by its members, for its members.

JCI Glasgow is affiliated to Junior Chamber International and is part of an international network of 200,000 business people in their 20s and 30s across more than 100 countries.

The 75th Anniversary Dinner, in support of With Kids, will be held in the Grand Room of Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow on Friday 16th November 2012.

The evening of dinner, drinks and entertainment will start at 6:30, and tickets are available now, priced at £60 for JCI Members, £75 for non-JCI members, and £750 for a table of 10.

Included in the price of your ticket is:

• Champagne reception
• 4 course dinner and half bottle of wine per person
• Corporate gift bag
• 20% off room rate at Grand Central Hotel for attendees
• Charity raffle and auction

Sponsorship

For anyone interested in sponsoring the 75th Anniversary Dinner, sponsorship opportunities are still available:

Main Sponsor - £3,000

1 x Top Table guest from your organisation 2 x Premier Table for 10 (closest to speaker’s podium)

Branding on all advertising material, tickets, front page of official programme, on big screens on stage and on small TV screens

One full page advert in official programme, mentioned in all publicity, 10 x premier goodie bag and opportunity to include advertising material in same goodie bag.

Major Sponsor - £1,500

Premier Table for 10, one full page advert in official programme, advertising on small TV screens, 10 x premier goodie bag and opportunity to include advertising material in same goodie bag.

If you require more information on sponsorship, or want to book tickets, please contact Iain Brown, at iain_brown@jciglasgow.com or visit the JCI Glasgow website.

Alternatively, you can book online HERE or download the booking form HERE.

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

Christmas Appeal 2012

We know it's only October and that you don't want to hear the word but it's only 10 weeks till Christmas! And it's that time of the year where we need your help!

Christmas can be really tough financially for many families. Each year we help families that are struggling by providing presents, food hampers and credit towards utility bills who would otherwise go without.

Last year we provided 101 families with presents, food and credit for utility bills. Our Christmas party was attended by 106 kids and 71 adults. All the kids received a present from Santa and a hot turkey dinner. Nearly all of that was donated although we still had to go and buy them presents.

This year we really need your help to make sure that we can help as many families as we can in having a happy Christmas. By donating just one gift this would make all the difference!

We depend on your help and donations to make this possible. There's still time to fundraise or even collect those unwanted tins and packets at the back of the cupboard. With your help and support no family will go without this Christmas.

The type of items that go a long way in making a difference are:

• Non perishable food items- to help with winter hampers
• Stocking fillers- for the little extras on Christmas day that make a difference
• Party food- to help make our Christmas Party the best yet
• Wrapping paper/ sellotape/ gift tags- the little things that go a long way
• Gifts for adults (toiletries, perfume, make up) Donations of any kind are always greatly appreciated.
• We also take monetary donations which also goes a long way to help us provide our services at With Kids.
• Toys

All of your donations really do go a long way in helping out families who are in great need, especially at this time of the year so thank you from all of the families and With Kids!

If you know someone who can assist then please contact us on 0141 550 5770 or drop us an email at info@withkids.org.uk

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

Come along if you dare...

As the nights get longer and leaves begin to fall off the trees this can only mean one thing - Halloween is almost here!

This year we are having our first ever spooky Halloween Party at With Kids and there will be plenty of tricks and treats to look forward to!

The party takes place on Wednesday 31st October from 4.30 - 6.30pm, and there will be lots of spooky tricks and devilish treats on the evening.

If you would like to come along to our party, please get in touch as soon as possible - and remember to bring your fancy dress!

As ever, we are looking for donations of treats and sweets to help make our party even more fun.

We are also looking for volunteers to help us out on the night.

Do you know anyone who can help? If so, we would love to hear from you.

If you would like more information, or if you think you or any of your friends could lend us a hand, you can contact us on 0141 550 5770 or drop us an email on info@withkids.org.uk.

You can also contact us by joining us on Facebook or on our Glasgow and Edinburgh Twitter pages.

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

The Kids Had a Ball!

The children at With Kids had an absolute ball at the Autumn Ball and Fashion Show and we just wanted to say a MASSIVE thank you to all of our lovely families who participated in our fashion show.

When the kids took centre stage on the night it really boosted their confidence and self-esteem, and their beaming smiles were evidence that they had such good fun strutting down the cat walk!

Firstly, we would like to thank our wonderful hosts, Kathleen McDermott Carberry and John Amabile, as well as Michelle McManus and Feeva for keeping us entertained!

We would also like to say a huge thank you to the fatBuzz team for organising and hosting the event, Cumbernauld College who did a truly amazing job with the hair and make-up, and Falk&Ross UK Limited and Ivy Kiss for donating clothes.

A special mention goes out to Alec from Falk&Ross for styling and for his endless patience on the night and April from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland for her choreography!

Last but by no means least; thank you to the With Kids staff, volunteers, friends, family and supporters who all made the event possible. We couldn't have done it without you!

We put a little video together of the event, which you can view below. See if you can spot yourself, and remember to have a look through the photos on our Facebook page and tag yourself or anyone you know in them. 

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

With Kids Edinburgh - Ladies Lunch

With Kids may have originated in the east end of Glasgow, however did you know that we also help vulnerable children and families in Edinburgh?

Thanks to Inspiring Scotland, who provided funding for our Edinburgh pilot based in Wester Hailes in the south-west of the city, we now reach even more vulnerable families across Scotland on a daily basis.

And on Friday 28th of September, we are hosting a Ladies Lunch at the beautifully restored Grade A Ghillie Dhu in Edinburgh - where all proceeds from the event will go to our Wester Hailes Project.

The afternoon, hosted by Peter Ferguson of PDF Productions, will include entertainment by the fabulous Edward Reid, semi-finalist on Britain’s Got Talent.

fatBuzz, a social media, design, marketing and events management company from Glasgow, is organising the event and the champagne reception is sponsored by Inverarity Morton, one of Scotland's largest independent drinks suppliers.

There will also be an opportunity to shop from a selection of pop up shops including Nova Handbags and Orli Jewellery.

There are a variety of ways in which you can help. You could become a sponsor for the afternoon or you could take a table. A table for 10 is priced at £500, or individual tickets can be bought for £50.

If you are unable to attend, perhaps you could help in some other way? We are looking for auction and raffle prizes or maybe you would simply like to make a donation?

To book a ticket, or table, please email events@fatbuzz.com

You can now follow With Kids Edinburgh on Twitter, where you can keep up to date with our latest news and information.

We will also be revealing our new With Kids Edinburgh ambassador, who is an ex-Scotland rugby international, as soon as possible! Can you guess who it will be?

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

Happy Campers

Just over a week ago, With Kids packed our bags and headed to Auchengillan Outdoor Centre for a fun-filled weekend of camping, sponsored by the astounding efforts of Andrew Muirhead & Son Ltd.

Colin Wade, the Managing Director of Andrew Muirhead & Son, walked the West Highland Way and raised £7000 for With Kids, which was an amazing response and was mostly raised by staff, family and friends of the company.

To honour that generosity, we were delighted to name the camping trip as sponsored by them.

We hired a cabin out in the woods so people could choose whether to camp or sleep in dorms, and when we arrived at Auchengillan Outdoor Centre on the Friday, we were greeted with sunshine and spectacular views across trees and fields.

Being so isolated meant the kids were free to run around and explore safely, which was ideal as they did a huge amount of running around!

We had 24 kids so there was a lot of excitement and very little sleep on the first night, followed by some very early morning rises on Saturday morning. 

We had some fairly tired grumpy parents, kids and staff on Saturday, but everyone quickly cheered up with activities including climbing, go karts, grass sledges, waterwalkerz and orienteering, as well as a BBQ!

Thankfully, the sun shone throughout, and as everybody had had such an exhausting day, they were all asleep early on Saturday night... hooray!

Many of the families faced new challenges and different experiences, but everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves and said how good it had been meeting new people and trying different things.

These are just some of the stand out quotes from the weekend:

"Me and the kids absolutely loved it. We've had a brilliant time."

"It was great meeting new friends and spending quality time with the kids." 

"Watching the kids have fun and having new & scary experiences was great."

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

Once Upon A Time - A Real Fairytale

As many people are no doubt aware, With Kids' ambassador Robert Carlyle is currently starring in the hit American fantasy-drama, Once Upon A Time.

Robert's involvement with our charity was highlighted by members of Once Upon A Fan, the major online resource for fans of the series, who then decided to help with fundraising.

In an incredible real life fairytale for With Kids, they have, to date, raised £3,475 of a £5,000 target.

As if that wasn't enough, Once Upon A Fan are running a With Kids charity auction from Monday 24th September to Sunday 30th September 2012.

Pieces for auction will include jewellery, original fan art pieces, rare autographed posters, journals, Emmy DVDs and lots more.

The final, ultimate auction for the ‘chipped cup’ from Skin Deep, signed by Robert and Emilie de Ravin, will take place on the 30th September.

Gareth Hughes, the founder of Once Upon A Fan, said: “The support we have received from all over the world has just been incredible. It has blown me away. Not just in terms of donations, but the kindness shown.”

In our second guest blog post, Gareth delves into his past and explains why With Kids are so close to his heart.

Every Fairytale has a Happy Ending

I became aware of With Kids through fans of Once Upon A Time, who recommended watching the videos that Robert had done. 

I could really relate to the difficulties that disadvantaged families go through and the idea that everybody deserves a chance, or a happy ending.

I grew up in a very poor part of Merseyside on a council estate where chances in life seemed limited. 

Early on, I made a conscious decision that I could do well in spite of the barriers that society sometimes places on people.

I went to university and I am now a manager of a brain injury unit in Cheshire.

I can relate so much to what With Kids are trying to do because my mother and father never had that kind of support.

We were lucky in the sense of having a local community of neighbours that pulled together and supported each other, but nothing like With Kids existed.

So, when I learned about With Kids and what they do, it was just instinctive, as the fan site grew in popularity, that we could use this huge following to do some real good.

My life could have gone down a very different path so the idea of building resilience and self esteem in children from a young age is so important to me, so that they find pride in themselves and achieve their goals, however big or small those goals are.

That's why I love what With Kids are doing.

The love is mutual Gareth. The love is mutual.

If you would like to submit an item for the Once Upon A Fan With Kids auction, contact Gareth at gareth@onceuponatimefans.co.uk

You can donate to With Kids, via Once Upon A Fan's Just Giving page.

If you would like to follow in Gareth's footsteps and write a guest blog post for With Kids, please email s.blair@withkids.co.uk with your ideas and suggestions.

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

Diane Caron - Making Dreams Come True

Although With Kids is only a small charity based in the east end of Glasgow, the work that we do has resonated with people across the globe.

Thanks to our ambassador, Robert Carlyle's starring role in fairytale drama, Once Upon A Time, a group of his fans decided to get involved and help raise much needed funds. 

One of those fans is American author Diane Caron, who is donating 50% of profits from her book, Clams in Cups: Legends of the Heart to With Kids over the next year.

In the first With Kids' guest blog post, Diane discusses why a charity in Glasgow has captured her heart.

Magic, Dreams and Fairytales

Having had a love of fairytales since childhood, I was drawn to Once Upon a Time from the very beginning.

At a time in my life when I felt there would be no happy endings, it gave me hope that the curse could be broken and that magic in my life was possible again.

I discovered actors I had never seen before and was fascinated by Robert Carlyle’s portrayal of the infamous character of fairytale lore, Rumpelstiltskin.

In my search to learn more about Mr. Carlyle's previous work, I found the interview he had done with With Kids, which captured my heart. His interview was so heartfelt, especially when he spoke about the children and families, and of his father.

I was inspired by his relationship with his father, the love he had for him, the care and sacrifices that were made, and how his father supported him unconditionally and without question in his quest to be an actor.

His father encouraged him to do what was in his heart, which I feel is the key that opens the magic door to the life we are all meant to have.

The interview and With Kids' work resonated with me beyond words. I have always wanted to be involved with organisations that support children and Mr Carlyle’s interview inspired me to move forward to find a way I could help.

After this, I started seeking out information about With Kids, as well as following the Once Upon a Time fan sites, and noticed that people were undertaking various fundraising efforts.

It was then that I decided to donate 50% of all profits from the sale of my book, Clams in Cups: Legends of the Heart, for the next year to With Kids.

One of my dreams is to help children achieve their dreams. And as Mr. Carlyle said in the interview below: 'Don’t ever let anyone take your dreams from you'.

If you want to follow in the footsteps of Diane, we are now inviting our friends, supporters and ambassadors to write guest blog posts for us.

Whether you want to write an article, a poem, or a short story, we want to share your thoughts, opinions, imaginations, dreams and aspirations with our community.

If you would like to write a guest blog post for With Kids, please email s.blair@withkids.co.uk with your ideas and suggestions.

Clams in Cups: Legends of the Heart, is available online at AuthorHouse, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

With Kids are Having a Ball!

At With Kids, we always make sure some of Glasgow's most disadvantaged and vulnerable children are having the time of their lives, but next month, they really will be having a Ball.

That’s because on Friday 14th of September, we are hosting our second With Kids Autumn Ball and Fashion Show!

Taking place in the luxuriously refurbished Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow, the evening, organised by fatBuzz Ltd, promises to be a night to remember.

Featuring clothes from Falk&Ross UK Limited, as well as exclusively designed t-shirts made by the children and their families, the children themselves will take to the catwalk to strut their stuff.

Letting the kids take centre stage on the night will undoubtedly help boost their confidence and self-esteem, and subsequently, could really help change their young lives.

April Clark, a student at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, will be managing production and choreography, while students from Cumbernauld College will be taking care of hair and makeup.

After the fashion show, the party will continue with Michelle McManus and Scotland’s top female tribute band, Feeva.

The event will be hosted by BAFTA award winning actress and With Kids’ Ambassador, Kathleen McDermott Carberry, alongside celebrity designer and television presenter, John Amabile.

Kathleen, who was born and bred in Barlanark in the east end of the city, has previously spoke of her pride in being an Ambassador for With Kids.

She said: “I am extremely proud to be an Ambassador for With Kids because the area in which they work is very close to my heart and it saddens me that so many children living in Glasgow are still in need of the help and support With Kids provide."

This fashion show will not only raise much-needed funds for one of Glasgow's most important charities, but the children will be undertaking something that can empower them in a way that they have never experienced.

A table of ten for the With Kids Autumn Ball and Fashion Show will cost £750 and we’d be delighted if you, your friends and clients could join us for a memorable night of drinks, dinner, fashion, and entertainment.

We are delighted to have a number of category sponsors onboard, but there are still sponsorship opportunities available. If you want to support this event, you can be assured that With Kids have considerable experience of event management and corporate partnerships and will maximise the opportunity for you.

Finally, the With Kids Autumn Ball and Fashion Show promises to be a fantastic event, but we depend on auction prizes to make a healthy amount of money for some of the most vulnerable and excluded children who desperately need the support of With Kids.

For more information on booking details, sponsorship or auction prizes, please contact events@fatbuzz.com.

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

End of Summer... means PARTY!

It is nearing the end of With Kids' Summer Programme for another year, and in order to celebrate the fun-filled summer we have had, we are going to throw another End of Summer Party!

Our End of Summer Party is one of the highlights in the With Kids calendar; a time where the kids, families and all of our supporters can relax, enjoy themselves and reflect on the good times we have shared.

And what good times we have had! Even though the sun has been posted missing for the majority of the summer, we have still had an amazing time visiting Glasgow Science Centre, The Riverside Museum, Kelburn Country Park and Edinburgh Dungeons to name but a few.

This year, our End of Summer Party will take place on Friday 3rd August at Reidvale Adventure Play Association, based in the heart of Dennistoun. ‘The RAPA’, as it is affectionately known, promotes 'integrational play' to all children and young people by providing a wide range of accessible play equipment, play activities and play resources both outdoors and indoors at their 'playground'.

Although we have this fantastic venue arranged, we are also looking for help in finding donations for party food supplies such as bread, sandwich fillings, cakes, sweets and crisps.

As a charity, we rely on the kind donations from our friends and supporters, and whether you are a local business or just a friendly neighbour, we would greatly appreciate any additional help.

Any donations, of any kind, will help us and ensure that the party will be as successful as possible. Can you help with party food supplies? Do you know anyone who could help? 

If you can help out in anyway, please contact Suzy by email on s.blair@withkids.org.uk or phone us on 0141 550 5770.

Please visit out website to find out more information on the work that we do to support families and children in the East End of Glasgow. You can also follow us on Twitter or join our Facebook community to keep up to date on all our activities and news.

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

Donation from The High School of Glasgow...

WOW it looks like it's not only The Proclaimers that will walk 500 miles!

We received a donation yesterday for £1308.59 from The High School of Glasgow.  Bannerman House (around 170 pupils) “encouraged staff to take part in a “celebrity come dancing” event and do a sponsored walk of 500 miles. Thank You so much for your donation guys!




We really are so grateful for this and the funds will go towards our services here at With Kids. We are always honoured when people take it upon themselves to organise fundraisng events on behalf of With Kids as we rely solely on donations to continue or work here.

If you would like to raise money for With Kids or if you are thinking of we would love to hear from you.Call us on 0141 550 5770 or email Suzy on s.blair@withkids.org.uk



Find out more about what we do, how your donations can help and also more on how to donate by visiting our website. Or you can contact us on Facebook or Twitter.

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

7K & The West Highland Way...

Colin Wade, Managing Director of Andrew Muirhead and Son Limited recently walked the West Highland Way on behalf of With Kids.

All the staff, their family and friends raised an astounding £7000 for With Kids!  This is a truly staggering amount which will go a long way to helping us carry on with our work here.

We rely solely on donations to carry on our work here. If you would like to help us by donating or if you are thinking of raising money for us when taking part in an event then we would love to hear from you. However much money you raise for With Kids, you'll be helping vulnerable children and families.

Contact us on 0141 550 5770 or email Suzy on s.blair@withkids.org.uk

Thank you so much to Colin for his Herculean effort and to everybody that supported him and donated.

To find out more about the work we do here at With Kids you can visit our website or you can keep up to date with us on our Facebook and Twitter page.

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

Torrie Publications donate £500...

Torrie Publications have been a fantastic support to With Kids. Recently Brian Kane visited the office to donate another £500. With our Summer Programme just around the corner this money will be a huge help to providing activities for our families.

Thank you so much to Brian and Torrie Publications for the donation. We rely heavily on donations to keep With Kids running. Without these kind donations our services wouldn't be able to continue and the valuable support that is given to families and vulnerable children in our community would cease to exist. We really are so grateful to Brian and other donators like him for all the support.

If you are interested in finding out more about our services and the work we do here at With Kids check out our recent blog post that highlights our work.

For more information on how to donate please click on this link: DONATE TO WITH KIDS

To find out more about the work we do here at With Kids you can visit our website or you can keep up to date with us on our Facebook and Twitter page.

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

3rd Year Students win us £3K!

Trinity High School in Renfrew recently were participants of the Youth Philanthropy Initiative. 3rd years students from various high schools were asked to research a local grassroots charity and carry out a presentation on it with the chance of winning a whopping £3000 for their chosen charity.

The pupils of Trinity High School chose to focus on With Kids and we're delighted to announce that Trinity won! A huge congratulations and thanks to Catherine, Rachel, Theigan and Joanna who's fantastic presentation on With Kids won us the prize.

It was a pleasure to work with them and we look forward to seeing them again next month at the Youth Philanthropy Initiative celebration party in June.

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

What's your problem? - Parents and Carers, We Want You

Come and give us your views on the day to day issues that REALLY affect you and your children's lives. School, community resources, health care, benefits / tax credits - whatever the subject we'd like to hear your thoughts and experiences. We will also try (where possible) to offer practical help on issues that you might not be able to tackle or feel you are able to on your own.

We all find our selves in difficult situations and quite often there are things in and around the area where we live that bother us. No doubt your concerns and issues are the same as those who live in the streets around you and we don't want you to go unheard. That's why we have created our Parents and Carers Group, where we aim to provide a place to discuss the issues that you feel are affecting you.

Come and have your say at our informal chat and we'll even throw in a spot of lunch! For more information on 0141 550 5770. We hope to see you there.


With Kids, 15 Annfield Place, G31 2XE

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

The Art of Noise.. GSA Students support With Kids !!

They will be the artists and architects of the future, but the students of Glasgow School of Art, will be focusing their artistic talents to music, as they will form the first choir the school has had in decades.

It's set to be a great event, and what has made it even better, is that the students have chosen to donate all proceed to With Kids !!

Jamie Sansbury, Architecture student and creator of GSA's choir, is keen to revive the school's musical spirit, that seemed to be so lively in the early 1960's.

"I want to give people who were classical musicians and individuals, rather than bands, an opportunity to perform in an "official" concert where all they really needed to do was rehearse and perform.

"It's a chance to allow inexperienced musicians chance to join in and improve their singing, as well as being part of this new venture which, i hope will become a regular feature on the GSA calendar."

We cannot thank Jamie and the Choir enough for their support, because we rely on donations such as this to keep doing the work we do, support like this is much appreciated !!

The concert will be held at:

Adelaide's 

Pitt Street

Glasgow

G2 4HZ

Tickets are £5 and are available from the MASS Bar (Bourdon Building) or by email: j.sansbury1@students@gsa.ac.uk or for any choir member. 

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

If you do just one thing today...

Then I would ask you to take some time to take a look at the kids in your city, and think, really think about what you see. Those kids on the corners that are always causing trouble, the large family down the road who always seem to be fighting and are too noisy, the quiet child with the younger brother and sister who's mother never seems to be there. I would ask you to think about them, not just about how they are a cause for complaint or drive you mad, or the fact that they barely register on your radar but to look past that and consider what really goes on in their lives and why.




The state of Glasgow...

We've all heard the negative reports about Glasgow, about the poverty, unemployment, poor physical and mental health, low mortality levels, addiction, crime, and violence. And we know that children that grow up under these circumstances are prone to repeating a cycle that has often been learned from generation to generation.

We also know from research that children who have not received appropriate love and care in the first 2 years of their lives do not develop or grow properly. Worse still the architecture of the brain is affected and they simply are unable to react or respond in the way that a healthy child can.

The 'unmanageable' children...

Children often don't have the vocabulary or understanding to express themselves vocally, all we have to make sense of what is happening is their emotions and how they behave. This is the lives of the children that we disregard or dismiss as 'unmanageable', the ones who misbehave, disrupt classes and get into fights, that don't seem to listen or care, who seem destined for very little that's good. It's also the quiet ones who fall between the gaps, who seem invisible, have no friends, don't join in with games, and quietly slip away without anybody noticing or caring.

There is hope...

However, there is hope. The right support can have a profound impact and lead to substantial improvement in how they see themselves and others and their ability to cope. Creating a nurturing, stable environment may be the first time that a child can learn to trust someone or to believe that another is interested and cares about them. What should be a fundamental right and that many of us take for granted is simply not experienced by many children. But with proper emotional and physical care children, particularly young children can be incredibly resilient and their life chances transformed.

What With Kids do...

With Kids aims to build early years resilience and self esteem by providing early intervention for children from chaotic or traumatic backgrounds. Working with children using a mixture of one to one and group sessions and also by extending support to the parents and wider family we seek to foster safe and healthy relationships that allow the child and their family to take responsibility for their own lives and live them to the fullest advantage.


If you do just one thing today...

So, if you do just one thing today then please think about the lives and experiences of others less fortunate and try not judge or dismiss them. If you do one thing today – put yourself in their shoes and walk a mile in them.  

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

Any suggestions for our Summer Party Venue?

We're looking for a venue for our End of Summer Party in the East End of Glasgow. Does anyone have any suggestions on where we can hold the party? Ideally, we'd like to have a venue that has facilities for a BBQ and outdoor games but it would also be handy if there was some space undercover in case of the dreaded but almost certain Glasgow rain (fingers crossed it doesn't). Any advice/suggestions would be fantastic.

Our Summer Party is one of the highlights in the With Kids calender and marks the end of our Summer Programme. It's also a time where the kids and families and all of our supporters can kick back and enjoy themselves.

If you can think of avenue in the East End of Glasgow that has space for a BBQ and outdoor games then please let us know. Please post your suggestions on our Facebook and Twitter. Or you can email Suzy on s.blair@withkids.org.uk.

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

What's on at With Kids in May...

I think you will all agree with me when I welcome in the month of May, as we get closer and closer to summer! We have lots going on this month at With Kids.

We have many events on this month that you may have seen before, for the parents as well as the kids, sadly most of the events have limited places, so make sure you book your place!

The following events are making a return this month:

Family Club

Cinema Club

Mum & Baby Group

If you would like to know more about these activities, please contact us as soon as possible, as there are limited spaces. 

If you have found this post interesting please use the "Share" buttons below to tell your online community about it, there's a good chance they will find it interesting too. Thank you.
 

You can also follow With Kids on Facebook - please click here

Freak Carousel workshops at With Kids...

At With Kids, we're always looking for new, innovative ways to entertain our friends at With Kids entertained.

We're delighted to announce that during May we'll be hosting Freak Carousel, who'll be doing resin jewellery workshops. We're really looking forward to trying out something a bit different. The workshops will begin on May 10th and will continue for 4 weeks.

Freak Carousel is a weird and wonderful collection of completely handmade jewellery - You'll find everything in their shop from skulls to cupcakes, comic prints to vintage charms!

They also offer a custom jewellery design service and have created many one-of-a-kind pieces for special occasions, even weddings!

You can keep up to date with what Freak Carousel are up to if you:

"Like" them on Facebook 

Or...

Follow them on twitter: @FreakCarousel

If you would like to know more about these workshops, please contact us as soon as possible, as there are limited spaces. 

If you have found this post interesting please use the "Share" buttons below to tell your online community about it, there's a good chance they will find it interesting too. Thank you.
 

You can also follow With Kids on Facebook - please click here

Breaking down barriers: Video

Here our therapists, Jo and Lindsay tell us how we have to work at breaking down the barriers with the kids we work with.

Play therapy can help children with a variety of difficulties, including but not limited to the following:- emotional difficulties, behavioural difficulties, relationship difficulties, abuse or trauma, communication difficulties, illness or disability, family breakdown, bereavement and low self esteem.

You can read more about play therapy here. 

If you have found this post interesting please use the "Share" buttons below to tell your online community about it, there's a good chance they will find it interesting too. Thank you.
 

You can also follow With Kids on Facebook - please click here

Facing the problems: Video

In this video Jo and Lindsay go through how problems, no matter how big or small must be faced and not ignored under any circumstances

Lindsay talks about how it can be hard for young children to talk about traumatic experiences they may have had, because of Glasgow's "Macho Image"

Jo and Lindsay often find themselves trying to get the kids to open up to them and help them face their problems.

If you would like to know more about Play Therapy please click here. 

If you have found this post interesting please use the "Share" buttons below to tell your online community about it, there's a good chance they will find it interesting too. Thank you.
 

You can also follow With Kids on Facebook - please click here

Learning to cope: Video

In this video Lindsay talks about an experience she recently had with a case. For this I think we should let the video speak for itself...

An emotional story about a 3 year old girl, and how she coped with her problems during her play therapy sessions.

If you would like to know more about Play Therapy please click here. 

If you have found this post interesting please use the "Share" buttons below to tell your online community about it, there's a good chance they will find it interesting too. Thank you.
 

You can also follow With Kids on Facebook - please click here