Nikki's August in a Nutshell
As the summer holiday comes to an end, Scotty’s Little Soldiers founder, Nikki, shares an update on our massively popular Scotty Breaks, preparing for the Scotty Ball, a brand-new podcast episode and our highest EVER number of new Members in a single month.
Hello!
I hope everyone has enjoyed the Summer Holiday! As a parent, it can be stressful having the kids at home every day, but getting the chance to spend some quality time together in the sun makes it all worthwhile.
The Summer holidays are always a bit of a juggling act for me, as having four children at home plus working can be tricky at times. There’s always lots going on at Scotty’s and during Summer we’re busy sending our families on respite breaks around the UK. I’m happy to say this year has been our most packed ever! Last month alone, we sent 105 families on a well-deserved break, with the total for the year approaching 200.
When a parent dies, there’s so much pain and heartache surrounding our families. But getting away from the house, having that change of scenery and being given the opportunity to enjoy themselves has such a huge impact. It won’t suddenly make everything better or magically take their pain away, but it can help them to relax, focus and even process what has happened. We get lots of messages from families when they return and I love seeing their pictures and hearing about all the new happy memories they’ve made.
Our highest EVER month for new Members
This August, we welcomed 14 new Members to Scotty’s - that’s more new Members in one month than ever before. The death of a parent is a tragedy no child should have to go through, but those 14 children and young people will now gain access to specialised bereavement support as well as the other services Scotty’s offer to help them in their grieving journey.
Earlier this summer, we launched our Help Find Their Children campaign to reach those young people who need us the most. If you're a member of the military community, work with young people or know a family who could benefit from Scotty's support, please help us spread the word.
Overcoming adversity with Steve Owen
We have lots of exciting things going on all the time at Scotty's. One of my favourites is ‘Aspire,’ our podcast for Springboarders aged 18 to 25. It’s hosted by Alex, who is now 20, but he's been supported by Scotty's since he was 13. He chats to inspirational guests and asks questions other young adults want the answers to. He recently chatted to a former soldier, Steve Owen, who had his leg amputated after being injured in Afghanistan. He has such a positive mindset and has gone on to achieve so many incredible things. He’s such an inspiration and I can’t wait for everyone to listen. The episode is available here.
The Scotty Ball
Finally, I wanted to remind everyone that we’re holding our annual Scotty Ball on the 29th of October. It’s not often we get to dress up, so we like to make the most of it! There will be entertainment, a three-course meal specially chosen by me and the team, as well as lots of fun fundraising activities. It’s a great chance for Scotty’s to show you the work we do, why we do it, and celebrate how far Scotty’s has come. This year it’s being held at the Chesford Grange Hotel in Warwick, so that our supporters across the UK can get there more easily. If you fancy joining us grab your tickets today at https://www.scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk/news/scottys-ball
See you next time!
Nikki
