As we approach the end of the year, I am in reflective mode, thinking about all the many children I have met this year. Different ages, different backgrounds, all growing up with different challenges, some happy, some sad, some loud and some quiet. But I have seen them all welcomed with the same open arms, into houses that are full of love and home comforts. They’ve given up their screens (not always willingly at first!) and have embraced good old fashioned games and plenty of time outside in nature.
It might not be everyone’s choice to have 16 children in their dining room every evening – it’s definitely noisy and they certainly eat a mountain of food but for us, that’s a measure of success. Loud, happy chatter, scraping chairs and plates as they go back for seconds, show us we are doing a good job.
The highlights recounted at the end of the day are often the success at climbing highest on the climbing wall, or going the fastest at the swimming pool but on-site there is always fun and laughter in the play barns, sticky marshmallows stuck to smiling faces around the camp fire. I’ve watched small groups charge off in wellies through long grass looking for the orienteering posts and working out the clues and I’ve seen the paintings and clay models drying in the art rooms before being packed into Go Beyond bags to take home.
This week, the lucky ones are going skating and to the Christmas panto – then back for Christmas dinner, games and stockings. These are things they’ll always remember.
None more so than the six special young carers who got to join HRH Princess Catherine at her Together for Christmas Carol Service. For me, it was truly a ‘pinch me’ moment, sitting in prime seats in the splendour of Westminster Abbey, surrounded by recognisable faces. 1500 guests, one of THE events of the year, poignant given the difficulties the Princess has faced this year. In her letter to the children, and her letter to the guests, she shares her heartfelt thoughts about the importance of loving and caring for others. How thoughtful to consider those children who even at their young ages already know how it feels to have to look after others.
When I watch that service on Christmas Eve I will shed another tear – not just because the film is incredibly moving, but because I know those children will be watching at home with their families. They will be bursting with pride, and rightly so.
This small charity has achieved enormous things this year. 1023 children had a magical time at Go Beyond. Our target of 1000 smashed. This marks a huge milestone in an incredible journey of recovery since we started rebuilding in 2021 after the ravages of the pandemic. We have seen volunteers of all ages turn up in all weathers to provide much needed extra pairs of hands and our staff have worked tirelessly to make sure every child can feel special.
But we’re not stopping there. Next year we will aim to increase the number of breaks by 10% while, in the background, we are working hard to build our capacity to do more – with exciting plans to remodel our Coastal Centre to accommodate 50% more children and a dramatic new build to replace our barns at Daleside with a state of the art, sustainable and purpose-built facility for children.
We’ll also step up our search for new places to deliver from in areas such as the southeast, that are simply too far for children to travel to Derbyshire and Cornwall.
I’ll be keen to explore more partnership working in 2025. Partnership and collaboration are central to my ethos. I think charities should help one another. The best partnerships for us are those that allow us to reach groups of children who might not otherwise come to our centres. This year we have co-designed and co-delivered our breaks with charities specialising in working with young carers, or specifically working in a local geography. As I reflect on this year’s data, I see more children with Autism and ADHD, more who have a parent in prison or who have experienced bereavement. Close to 20% live with domestic violence. These are some of the specialisms where I believe there is scope to do more together to reach those who need our breaks the most. And I hope the partnership offer might be reciprocated by charities that are operating in areas of the Southeast and Northeast that we can’t currently reach.
Working together in partnership is also critical to the success of our referrals and our funding relationships. All of us: the teachers, social workers, family support workers, and many, many supporters know the positive difference we can make for children when we offer the right support at the right time.
Go Beyond is a small charity. We operate at a time when child poverty continues to rise and there are ever deeper divisions in our society. We can’t change those huge problems but this year we have done our bit to make life that little bit more special for over 1000 children. We have shown them there is a place where people are kind and generous towards them, where they can be themselves and let go of some of their worries.
It is our job and our privilege to bring a little sunshine to their lives and watch them grow.
I might still be pinching myself but perhaps it is no wonder then, that the Princess of Wales chose us to be one of the special charities, in a year which saw her dealing with her own challenges. The themes of the concert were love, kindness and reflection. In her invitation to our children, the Princess wrote about the joy she has found spending time in nature:
“Nature gives us an opportunity to escape from the stresses of everyday life, to slow down and properly connect with ourselves”
For those of us who are lucky enough to be together at Christmas with our families and friends, this is what the festive season offers. A chance to be together at Christmas, spending time with people we love, eating together and spending time outdoors. It’s winning formula and one we will continue into next year.
With our children, referral agents, volunteers and supporters we will be Together at Christmas and always.
Wishing everyone a merry Christmas and a peaceful new year.
Michele
