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"My feet are sore and my head is spinning as I look back on a day of meeting people and missing people... 
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“My feet are sore and my head is spinning”


“I’m just back from shadowing one of Launchpad’s Support Workers, Lucy. My feet are sore and my head is spinning as I look back on a day of meeting people and missing people, going inside hostels and standing knocking at front doors across Reading.
 
Our first job was to call on a young lady Jane*. Jane lives with a mental illness and the memory of an extraordinary painful childhood. Jane is very vulnerable to people taking advantage of her financially. Lucy can’t make decisions for Jane, but supports her and can suggest ways she can protect herself and build a positive future.
 
After a quick dash back to the office to write up Lucy’s notes, we head out to visit a man who has been temporarily relocated by the council after his flat was taken over by drug dealers. He isn’t at home. Lucy leaves a note asking him to make contact. She’s keen to know he is safe and well, but can’t do any more than keep trying to visit. Lucy’s role is to be a reliable, trusted contact whilst this man strives to tackle his own addiction and move on in life, shaking off bad influences.

 
You can read the full account of Ele our Fundraising Manager's day spent with Lucy, one of our Support Workers, here >


*To protect the privacy of those we help, names have been changed
 

A trio of cyclists

 
A trio of cyclists are travelling from Sonning Rotary Club to their twinned Rotary Club in Hamburg. John Hammond and Jeremy Spurr from Sonning Rotary will be joined by Paul Banks, of Launchpad’s Maintenance Team, who regularly cycles from his home in Bracknell to the Launchpad office in Reading

They're leaving Sonning on 12 May at 6.30am and heading along the A4 to Slough through London to Felixstowe, taking the ferry across to Holland and then riding through Holland to Hamburg.

Their cycle will take in almost 500 miles and Rotarians from Hamburg's Haake Rotary Club will join the trio at the German border and escort them into the centre of Hamburg.

They are fundraising for Launchpad and Camfed (tackling poverty and inequality with education for girls in rural southern Africa). You can support Paul and Launchpad here >

3 Peaks Challenge


A brilliant team from Bellway Homes Thames Valley completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge on Saturday 16 April.

The demanding circular walk is 24.5 miles long and takes in over 5,000 feet of climbing.

Simon Browne, Bellway Technical Manager, reflected on the walk when he'd finished "great effort from everyone. I'm exhausted and there will be some aching legs tomorrow but thrilled that we have raised some funds for a great cause". 

Pictured above is Evan having a well deserved rest and drink after completing the epic walk!

The team have raised almost £4,500 including Gift Aid, exceeding their target of £3,000!

You can still support the Bellway team here  >

CEO’s blog


New Housing
Launchpad is developing a small number of properties for clients who are on Reading Borough Council’s housing waiting list. We have three properties identified and are hopeful of having seven one bedroom flats and one two bedroom flat available for rent next year.

To paraphrase Martin Luther King “Launchpad cannot do great things, but Launchpad can do small things in a great way”. Our attempt to do small things. Read more >

School choir competition 2016

After the success of 2015's contest, we're pleased to be launching our second Primary School Choir Competition this term. The winning primary school will perform at our Carols by Candlelight event and have the unique opportunity to sing alongside the Reading Bach Choir. Email Ele Buckley or call 0118 929 1146 for more information. 
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