Raise money to support our vital work
Why fundraising means so much
We’re passionate about the people we work with and the communities we work in and we believe that with the right support everyone can take control of their life and make their future their own.
By fundraising for us, you’ll be helping some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Bristol and the South West. We work with thousands of people across the region supporting them to find ways to manage their mental health by offering them housing, support and, perhaps most importantly, hope.
As an exempt charity, we receive 90% of our funding from local government and NHS contracts which we secure through a tendering process. We’re lucky in this respect as many other organisations in the voluntary sector rely heavily on fundraising for their income.
We’re always very grateful to individuals and companies who work so hard to raise money for us. We use this funding to support our clients in so many ways, including finding a home after being homeless and finding a purpose when once life felt hopeless. We also have It's The Little Things Fund for smaller (but still hugely important) donations.
#ItsTheLittleThings
We give small grants of up to £150 to clients we’re currently supporting to help with their recovery. The grant can be used for anything, and we’ve heard some amazing stories about how the It's The Little Things Fund has made a big difference. From a new haircut to boost esteem, a treadmill to help keep active during lockdown, to a train ticket so a client could see his daughter get married. We know that it’s often the little things that can a big difference to mental health and wellbeing.
If you are using our services and would like to apply for a It's the Little Things Fund grant, please speak to your Support Worker or Recovery Navigator and they will do the rest!
#Connections
The Connections Fund was originally started during the Covid-19 pandemic to support Second Step clients who may have felt isolated and alone to rebuild connections.
Through grants from £50 to £300, the fund has helped clients establish essential new online connections. The grants were used to buy laptops, tablets, online courses and training to help use the equipment. Now the fund is used to make those vital in-person connections too.
Please note the Connections Fund is currently paused. We will let you know when it's up and running again.
How your money helps
Whether you get your walking boots on, put together a fashion show or hold a bake sale, every penny you raise will help make a difference to the lives of the people we support. Your donations will help people:
- Find a home – no matter how complex their needs
- Find a purpose – through volunteering, training or work
- Build relationships - with their families and their communities.
- Find confidence – through intensive and trusted one to one support
What your money can buy
£100 can support one of our clients to move into a home of their own following time in a hostel. The money will be used for removal costs, providing essential items for a new home including buying a mobile phone so they can keep connected.
£500 can help with the costs of running wellbeing courses and activities such as the sessions we run in the Bristol Wellbeing College or the support we give through our North Somerset Wellbeing Service
£2,000 will help us provide life-changing support to people with complex mental health problems, including one-to-one coaching to help people get back on track and find new ways to pursue their goals and dreams. You can see what we mean by finding out more about the kind of work we’re doing with our clients in our Step Together service in Somerset.
How to fundraise for us
You can use our Just Giving page for any amounts raised. Just make sure you name the service you are raising for (if there is one) or who your are raising on behalf of (if appropriate).
If you need help please email fundraise@second-step.co.uk.
Thank you so much for your support. You can find out more about what we do below.
Putting Mental Health First - an introduction to us and our services
Hope, courage and change – our values tell you why we do what we do
Our impact – our latest Impact Report with all the facts and figures about who we are and what we do
News Hub – our online news centre for all our latest news and blogs
Putting Me First – a film about our staff, volunteers and the people we support [link]
Taking Mental Health Outside – a film from our Community Rehabilitation Service which supports people with long-term mental health problems
Follow us on: Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube & Facebook
Header photo by @alicesuttonphotography from a fashion show held to raise funds for Second Step by Bristol student charity FUZE.