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RESIDE Bath talks with Off the Record – BANES

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Toby’s interview with the wonderful people from OTR.

Recently RESIDE Bath’s General Manager, Toby Martin, sat down and spoke with Off The Record – Bath and North East Somerset (OTR, BANES) to discuss the important work they do in the area to support young people ages 10-25 who are living, working or studying in the area. Currently they support over 2,000 people a year and have over 30,000 contacts on record. So, their work here in Bath is very important.

 OTR are celebrating their 30th anniversary this year and we wanted to show our support. OTR are providing a multitude of services to help every young person struggling, including services such as – counselling, listening support, youth participation, advocacy, support for care leavers and a LGBTQ+ focused youth group. OTR believes that all young people should represented fairly and push a focus on equality for all, regardless of the race, gender or sexual orientation.

If you want to hear what James, Ella and Andros had to say to Toby about their experiences working with Off the Record alongside their own personal experiences and how we can all help make a difference then the video is attached, and you can sit down and watch right here within this blog.

If you want to learn more about OTR and what they do for our local community then visit their website, take a look and see if you can get involved.

Find out more about Off the Record

What to read MORE from RESIDE? Click ‘read more’ to see our most recent blog entries!

Continue reading “RESIDE Bath talks with Off the Record – BANES”

Reside’s Commitment to Community: Annual Charity Donations Supporting Local Causes

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As the year draws to a close, Reside is honoured to announce our annual tradition of giving back to the vibrant community in Bath that has welcomed and supported us throughout the year. Our commitment extends beyond property, to the people and causes that make Bath and its surrounding areas thrive.

This year, after careful consideration and heartfelt discussions, our team has chosen to support two remarkable local charities: Off The Record Bath & North East Somerset, and Bath City Farm. Both organisations encapsulate values close to our hearts, championing causes that enrich the lives of those in our community.

Off The Record is a beacon of support for the emotional wellbeing of young people. Their tireless efforts in providing free services — counseling, advocacy, youth participation, and more — have a profound impact on the lives of individuals aged 10-25. Through empowerment and guidance, they strive to ensure every young person feels confident and emotionally healthy.

Regarding this partnership, James Brown from Off The Record expressed heartfelt gratitude: “Thank you so much on behalf of all the staff, volunteers, and service users at OTR. This is a tremendous boost to our Young Futures appeal.”

(L-R) Ben Bower, Toby Martin, Stephanie Bell and Lisa Franklin of Reside, with James Brown of Off The Record

Bath City Farm, with its commitment to fostering volunteering opportunities, informal education, and community engagement, embodies principles of healthy living and environmental stewardship. Alison Howell, Communication & Development Lead at Bath City Farm, shared, “This money will really make a difference to the Farm, to our animals, and to the children, young people, and adults that we support through our therapeutic programs.”

At Reside, our directors Toby Martin and Ben Bower emphasise the significance of supporting these causes. “We feel privileged to contribute to the betterment of our community,” says Toby. “Our team is proud to stand alongside these fantastic charities,” adds Ben.

This tradition of giving back is deeply ingrained in Reside’s ethos. We understand that thriving communities are built on collective efforts, and we are grateful for the opportunity to play a part.

As we conclude another year, Reside extends its heartfelt appreciation to all who have made this possible — our clients, partners, and the incredible community we proudly call home. Your support fuels our ability to give back, and for that, we are truly grateful.

More information about Off The Record’s Young Futures appeal can be found here.

More information about Bath City Farm can be found here.

Reside is an award-winning independent letting agent in Bath. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss any aspect of letting or managing your property; we would love to hear from you.

Reside’s Charities of the Year

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As a proudly independent Bath business, we know the importance of supporting and investing in our local community – especially during such difficult times.

This is why we have a company tradition of donating a percentage of our annual profits to charitable causes in the Bath area.

Every year, the Reside team researches and discusses local charities, before deciding which to support. We are delighted to confirm that the team has chosen Off The Record and Bath City Farm as this year’s charities.

Reside has previously supported Off The Record, whose brilliant work improves the emotional health and wellbeing of young people in Bath and North East Somerset. We have always been struck by the energy and dynamism of their team, and the Reside staff unanimously voted to continue our support of their hard work.

“Reside Bath have been strong supporters of our work with young people in B&NES over the years and I am delighted that you have chosen to support us again. Your donation will help us to improve the mental health and emotional wellbeing of more young people through our community listening support services in Bath, Radstock and Keynsham.”
James Brown, Off The Record

Bath City Farm has been a feature of the city’s community for more than two decades, offering 37 acres of farmland with a café, adventure playground, amphitheater and allotments. They work with people living with poor mental health, learning disabilities and other complex needs, offering therapeutic wellbeing sessions and helping children to get closer to nature.

“My sincerest thanks on behalf of everyone at Bath City Farm. I’m so glad to hear that your staff know about us and support the work that we do, and that many access the site with their families. This means so much to us to know that there is support from within the business community. This donation has come at a very welcome time and will make a big difference.”
Brendan Wistreich, Bath City Farm

We are delighted to support these two charities who give so much to our local community, and wish them every success for 2023.

Reside is an award-winning independent letting agent in Bath. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss any aspect of letting or managing your property; we would love to hear from you.

Off The Record: supporting young people in Bath

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Every year we ask our staff to research and discuss local charities, before deciding to which we should pledge our support and donations. In the second of two blogs, we introduce a charity that supports young people in Bath, helping with a wide range of issues affecting mental health and wellbeing.

During these tough times, we have found Off The Record to be a ray of positivity, to the extent that our entire team wanted to pledge our support to them for a second year running. The charity’s Head of Resources, Katherine Lingham, kindly took the time to tell us more about the vital work they do.
Tell us about Off The Record…

We are a mental health and wellbeing charity supporting the young people of Bath and North East Somerset and beyond, powered by 21 volunteers, 22 counsellors, and employing 37 people. Set up in 1994, we want every young person in our area to be emotionally healthy, confident and empowered in themselves. We help them to achieve this by providing counselling, listening support and a variety of other service, including LGBTQ-specific support, advocacy for young people in care and participation services encouraging young people to be active citizens in their community.

Many people may be unaware of the extent of the issues faced by young people in the Bath area. Can you tell us more about these issues?

In 2020-21, we saw the highest ever demand for our services and helped over 2,100 young people. All our services are free and open to any young person in need in our area.  Referrals for the most serious issues, particularly relating to self-harm, suicidal thoughts and family relationships, continue to rise, but we see young people presenting with an array of concerns such as anxiety, depression, abuse, anger, questions about gender, and bereavement.

Our work with them has led to consistent improvements in young people’s communication, confidence, resilience, aspirations, determination, and the prevention of future mental health problems.

What kind of support do you provide?

Counselling and Listening Support Services are there for young people at breaking point, who’ve been dealing with painful circumstances or serious mental health conditions.  We provide confidential sessions in a comfortable setting to turn around a young person’s outlook.

Advocacy helps those going through traumatic experiences such as family breakdown, helping to protect children thrown into situations that they will struggle to navigate alone, such as being removed from their families and placed into the care system.

Participation services support young people who want to change the world around them, involving them in meaningful projects that contribute to our community, to help give them purpose and the support bubble we all need.

Our LGBTQ services support LGBTQ young people, who research shows are disproportionately impacted by mental health difficulties, particularly related to loneliness or social pressures. We offer resources, advice, 1:1 sessions and a community for young LGBT+ people through our weekly group sessions.

What are your hopes for the future of Off The Record?

Of course we hope to go from strength to strength and continue supporting the young people of BaNES.  We’ve just launched our strategy for the next five years and a particular focus will be to work with more boys and young men, and also more young people from more challenging socio-economic backgrounds. We also hope to begin rolling out a training arm to our services, enabling other organisations to confidently address the areas that we are expert in, for example LGBTQ matters, exam stress and communications with young people.

How can people help to support the charity?

To support us you can:

  • donate to keep our vital services free of charge
  • subscribe to our newsletter so we can send happy news to your inbox once a month
  • follow our social media to keep an eye on future events and opportunities, and share them with parents, guardians and young people you know.
  • volunteer to become a Listening Support Worker or help at one of our youth groups – please email office@offtherecord-banes.co.uk.

You can find Off The Record on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

The Off The Record website can be found here.

Our thanks goes out to the kind staff and volunteers at Off The Record not just for providing helpful information for this blog, but of course for the incredible work they do in our community.

Bath Welcomes Refugees: harnessing the goodwill of a community

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As part of our commitment to support the local community, both as a proud independent company and as members of the Bath Percent Club, every year we ask our to team to research and discuss local charities, before deciding to which we should pledge our support and donations. In the first of two blogs, we introduce one of the charities unanimously chosen by our team this year, whose work not only supports people in dire circumstances, but also enriches and diversifies our local community.

Bath Welcomes Refugees (BWR) was founded in 2015 to harness the goodwill of the community in welcoming and supporting refugees and asylum seekers. Their trustees, management team and countless helpers are all volunteers, and they rely upon donations and funds raised through events, sales, and community support. In total they have a membership of over 400 and support more than 100 individuals. BWR also works in partnership with Julian House as the council’s designated support for families arriving in Bath under the government funded scheme.

Bath Welcomes Refugees harness the goodwill of the community in welcoming and supporting refugees and asylum seekers

BWR works to find housing for refugees, furnish and equip it, and also to provide items such as toys, books and computers. The families arrive with almost nothing of their own, and although computers might seem to be a luxury, they are a vital tool of language acquisition which is at the heart of successful resettlement.

BWR organise a monthly social group (currently suspended due to COVID) and other social events for the refugee community to offer friendship and support and help alleviate cultural isolation. Fortunately, the charity has managed to attract a great deal of community support from local businesses, museums and art galleries, churches, schools and universities.

Before a family arrives, the BWR volunteers stock the kitchen with food and a meal is prepared by one of the settled refugee families to welcome them after what is usually a very long and tiring journey. Each family has a team of resettlement volunteers who help with a multitude of activities, such as orientation to the local area and facilities, and accompanying people to appointments (e.g. health, job centre), as well as being generally friendly and supportive. The charity has a large team of qualified and experienced volunteer language teachers and each family member is matched to an individual teacher. They also offer group lessons and run a Study Club to help the children with their academic needs. Volunteers help with gardening, DIY and benefits advice, as well as supporting the families with job training, employment and legal matters.

In 2019, there were 26 million refugees in the world and of these, 1.4 million were identified as being in need of resettlement. Just 63,000 refugees were resettled.

One section of the BWR organisation, Beyond Bath, monitors the larger refugee picture and organises donations and volunteers to Calais, amongst other projects (COVID permitting). Tragically, only 0.5% of refugees worldwide are offered resettlement. In 2019 for example, there were 26 million refugees in the world and of these, 1.4 million were identified as being in need of resettlement. In the same year, just 63,000 refugees were resettled. This is why it so important to consider the wider refugee picture and keep important campaigns that ameliorate this situation in the public eye.

The Bath Welcomes Refugees website can be found here.

They can be contacted at info@bathwelcomesrefugees.org.uk

Our thanks goes out to the kind volunteers at Bath Welcomes Refugees not just for providing helpful information for this blog, but of course for the tremendous work they do in the Bath community.

Toby Climbs Everest For Charity (Sort of)

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The Sofa to Summit challenge caught my eye as a way to become more active whilst fundraising for a cause that is close to everyone’s hearts right now. The NHS and the RUH have been spectacularly stretched since early 2020, and it will feel good to do something, no matter how small, in recognition of that.

A happy, healthy Brandon Bower

Over the course of any normal year, Reside usually organises several fundraisers to support local charities; in the past, we have worked with Off The Record Bath, Bath Area Play Project, VOICES and Bath Samaritans to name a few. However, given the recent lockdowns it has been difficult for us to arrange these kinds of events over the past 12 months – so I jumped at the opportunity to do something again that gives back to our local community.

The RUH, however, holds a special place in our hearts at Reside due to the experience of our Managing Director and the founder of Reside, Ben Bower. In 2018, Ben’s wife Natasha gave birth to their son Brandon at just 28 weeks – more than 12 weeks early. It was a tough time for Ben & Natasha, but the wonderful staff and state of the art facilities in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit meant that they could not have been better cared for. Brandon happily went home two months later – still in advance of his original due date!

I recall visiting Ben, Natasha and Brandon on the NICU ward. We’d had a baby boy ourselves just a few months before and were alarmed by what they were going through, but so reassured to see how well they were being looked after. Having heard so much about Brandon, Ben & Natasha’s experience, I’m very proud to be fundraising for the Forever Friends Appeal – no matter how small my contribution is, I am sure it will help to maintain the hospital’s incredible work.

Working with inspirational local people, our vision is to raise the funds needed to support the delivery of gold-standard healthcare in first-class surroundings.  We aim make a difference to every patient and every condition.
The Forever Friends Appeal 

My plan for scaling Everest is currently very basic: 48 flights of stairs for 61 days. But as lockdown restrictions ease, I am hoping that Bath’s hilly surrounds will help to mix up the scenery and preserve the stair carpet.

This is, would you believe it, my first time climbing Mount Everest, but I have thrown myself into similarly reckless commitments before. Despite being supremely unathletic, I ran the Bath Half in 2017 to raise funds for Sarcoma UK. I was joined by several members of the Reside team, and this has since led to similar unwise but worthy endeavours, including another Bath Half in 2019 in aid of Jamie’s Farm.

If you would like to track the progress of my climb, or even make a donation, you can find my Sofa to Summit page here.

Reside is an award-winning independent letting agent in Bath. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss any aspect of letting or managing your property; we would love to hear from you.

Off The Record: A Lifeline For Young People In Bath

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As a proudly independent Bath business, Reside has always endeavoured to engage and give back to the local community through a variety of different initiatives. One such commitment is made through our membership of the Bath Percent Club, whose members pledge to contribute a percentage of their profits to local causes. Each year, we ask our staff to select and research a local charity for us to support.

At the end of 2020, our staff unanimously selected Off The Record Bath & North East Somerset as their charity of choice. Through their work in the local community, Off The Record helps to improve the emotional health and wellbeing of young people; their Fundraising Manager Martha Robbins kindly took the time to speak to us about the important work they do.

Could you summarise what Off The Record does? What is the make-up of the charity / how many volunteers do you have?
Off The Record is a youth charity covering Bath and North East Somerset and beyond, powered by 20 volunteers, 22 counsellors, and employing 39 people. We provide life-changing support to young people who come to us in crisis, and carry out ground-breaking community work that acts as a safety net, preventing vulnerable children slipping through the cracks.

Many people may be unaware of the extent of the issues faced by young people in the Bath area. What kind of support do you provide?
In 2019, we provided around 30,000 sessions to young people from ages 10-25 with our extensive array of support projects, which are all entirely free of charge.

For those going through traumatic experiences such as family breakdown, our advocacy team protects children thrown into situations that they will struggle to navigate alone, such as being removed from their families and placed into the care system.

For those at breaking point, having been dealing with painful circumstances or serious mental health conditions alone, our counselling and listening support team is a welcome out-stretched hand, providing confidential sessions in a comfortable setting to turn around a young person’s outlook.

And for those who want to change the world around them, our participation team works to involve young people in meaningful projects that contribute to our community, to help give them purpose and the support bubble we all need.

What new challenges have you faced during 2020, specifically with regards to Covid-19? And how has it affected the young people you work with?
The effects of Covid-19 have only increased the need for our services. Now more than ever, the public recognises that ‘home’ feels like an unsafe place far too many young people. Isolation, academic stress, unemployment, so many issues that can affect young people and their families have been intensified by the pandemic. For instance, we have seen a 40% increase in referrals compared to this time last year, particularly relating to self-harm, suicidal thoughts and family relationships.

We have seen a 40% increase in referrals compared to this time last year, particularly relating to self-harm, suicidal thoughts and family relationships

Thankfully, we have been able to continue to provide all our advocacy, counselling, and community-based work in person or on-line, in accordance with government guidelines over 2020. It has been a challenge for all our staff and volunteers, but we are lucky to have such an amazing team that pulls together.

What are your hopes for the future of Off The Record?
Despite the evident setbacks this past year, it’s the success stories from our service users that keeps us driven and focused. One big goal in the coming months is to better promote and celebrate the great work Off The Record does. We also have been made part of the Rank Foundation’s Time 2 Shine scheme for 2021, which has enabled us to welcome a dedicated fundraising officer. With the support of our donors and the local community, we are quietly optimistic for the year ahead and what we can achieve for the young people we serve.

How can people help to support the charity?
To support us you can:

  • donate to keep our vital services free of charge
  • subscribe to our newsletter so we can send happy news to your inbox once a month
  • follow our social media to keep an eye on future events and opportunities, and share them with parents, guardians and young people you know.

You can find Off The Record on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Charity Donation & Christmas Opening Hours

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Charity donation to VOICES.

We are very proud to be long-term members of the Bath Percent Club, a group of over 180 companies and individuals committed to giving back to the local community. As part of our commitment to the Percent Club, we donate a percentage of our profits to charities and worthwhile causes – of which there are many in Bath.

This year, our staff chose to donate to VOICES, a Bath-based charity founded in 2014 by women who have experienced domestic abuse. They provide community-based recovery and empowerment programmes for women who have experienced domestic abuse, as well as raising awareness of the nature and impacts of abuse.

The work VOICES perform in the area is vital to many, and December and January can be the toughest of times for those experiencing abuse and other types of hardship. We are delighted that we have been able to support their work.

Christmas Opening Hours.

We would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and look forward to speaking with you in 2020.

Brownies, Cupcakes & Muffins: Reside Bake for Charity

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Reside Charity Bake Off

A Reside bake off has raised £220 for Macmillan Cancer Support, with each member of the team swapping pens & e-mails for whisks & rolling pins. Clients, local businesses and interested passers-by called into the Reside office to browse and buy an assortment of surprisingly delectable sweet treats, with all of the proceeds going to charity.

The cake sale was inspired by the herculean achievements of Mark Button, Reside’s Financial Controller, who recently completed the London to Brighton 100k Challenge in 19 hours and 14 minutes. Mark’s efforts have now raised £880 for Macmillan Cancer Support, for which he receives our utmost admiration and compliments.