News and stories | Page 2 | Together Trust

A team member from Booths holding a collection bucket next to another sat on an exercise bike

Booths team raise over £1000 for local young people in care

15 June 2021 - 10:45am

The team from Booths in Hale Barns recently took part in the Captain Tom 100 challenge raising money for the fostering service at the Together Trust and the young people it supports.

A scanned copy of Together Trust's annual report from 1905

The power of understanding your own history

4 June 2021 - 4:00pm

Our identity and sense of belonging are tied up in the memories of our childhood but for children in care, their records are often the only thing they have to piece together their life story.

At the Together Trust, we have a substantial archive of records dating right back to 1870 because our founders recognised the significance of keeping records for the young people they cared for. It is part of our DNA to ensure that our care records help people understand their childhood.

Jakeb: My thoughts on unregulated accommodation

2 June 2021 - 4:00pm

The new legislation that will come into effect in September will mean around 6000 children will be placed in accommodation without any care. This is highly problematic for many reasons. Firstly, many young people in the care system have experienced abuse and, or neglect.

A robot waving with a person waving back at it

Bridge College’s big award win

17 May 2021 - 3:45pm

We are proud to announce that we have won a Natspec award for our innovative work in specialist education at Bridge college for introducing robots into the curriculum.

Our Bridge college won the Innovative use of technology award for our ongoing work we’re doing with LuxAI and Association of Colleges.

Join the Together Trust’s virtual walking tour 2021

14 May 2021 - 1:00pm

Are you interested in finding out how and where we started writing our history? The charity's very first care homes, adult services and what inspired our modern-day values?

In the wake of Mental Health Awareness Week 2021, 10-16 May, the Together Trust would like to welcome you to sign up for our virtual walking tour to explore the charity's 150-year-long history while staying healthy and active.

Parents don’t stop caring at 16, so why does the government?

12 May 2021 - 2:15pm

Children in care that live in unregulated accommodation are only entitled to support, not care. They are expected to fend for themselves with just a few hours of adult support a week. Unregulated accommodation can be a flat, bedsit, hostel or a caravan. At any one time, around 6,000 children aged 16 and 17, looked after by local authorities live in unregulated accommodation. These are children of compulsory education and training age that the local authority has parental responsibility for.

#9WordsForCare

12 May 2021 - 11:30am

Boris Johnson promised after his election in 2019 that he had a plan to ‘fix social care once and for all’. Two years on and we are still waiting.

Yesterday in the Queen’s Speech, the future of social care was pinned down to 9 tiny words - ‘Proposals on social care reform will be brought forward'. Those nine words gave us a familiar sinking feeling.

We feel that there is so much more to be said about social care reform so we're joining the National Care Forum's #9WordsForCare campaign and we want to hear from you.

Bridge students taking part in the Natspec student parliament call

Bridge College students take part in Natspec Student Parliament 2021

4 May 2021 - 2:30pm

On 29^th April Bridge College students took part in an ‘all-college’ Student Parliament meeting via Zoom as part of the Student Voice curriculum.

This event enabled students across the country to meet, discuss and collaborate on topics that are important to them. It was an opportunity to bring the collective Learner Voice to one forum and have their say.

Bridge College is shortlisted for the Natspec awards 2021

22 April 2021 - 4:45pm

Bridge College in Manchester has been shortlisted for two Natspec awards: Innovative use of technology and Curriculum innovation. Based in Manchester, Bridge College is part of the Together Trust and offers specialist education for students aged 16 to 25 with learning difficulties, disabilities, complex health needs and autism.

The Innovative use of technology award

Picture of a young woman with blonde hair

Marie's story: I faced pressure to move

15 April 2021 - 2:00pm

Marie spoke to us about her time in unregulated accommodation before moving to the Together Trust and her experience of moving to independence.

I was in and out of emergency placements because they couldn’t find anywhere to place me, so my social worker took me to a caravan in Preston, which called a crisis placement. She said I would be there for 28 days, but I was there for 12 weeks and 3 days. The whole time I didn’t see any of my friends, I didn’t go to school, I didn’t see anyone.

Johnny's story: the staff are like my family

13 April 2021 - 5:30pm

Johnny was in our care 15 years ago. We spoke to him about his relationships with staff and how they have made an impact on his life.

I was in several different care homes before I came to the Together Trust, once there I met a lot of amazing staff who took great pride in their work and certain staff members made a difference for me. They didn’t know it at the time, and nor did I, but they were influencing my future.

Meet Coco – our pupils’ best friend

1 April 2021 - 4:15pm

To help celebrate World Autism Awareness Day 2021, 2 April, and raise awareness, we would like to introduce one of our pupils’ favourite staff members at our specialist school, Inscape House School - Coco. A gorgeous Shih Tzu support dog who has been an invaluable member of the transitions team since 2019.

At Inscape House School, we break down barriers to learning for children with autism, and we support young people from Year 1 to Year 14.

Autism awareness: ableism, language and misconceptions

29 March 2021 - 12:00pm

World Autism Awareness Week this year starts today, Monday, 29 March and runs through to Sunday, 4 April. It is a global campaign to promote awareness, understanding and acceptance of autism. Emily Lees, an autistic Speech and Language Therapist at Inscape House School, is helping us understand autism and pro-neurodiversity approaches better.

A group of animated characters doing an Easter egg hunt

Thank you to everyone who donated to our Easter appeal

24 March 2021 - 3:30pm

We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported our Virtual Easter appeal this year.

We were overwhelmed with the generous donations from our supporters and local community for our Easter appeal. Your support has ensured that the young people and adults we support will receive a chocolate treat or gift over the Easter holidays.

Disbelief after Lords debate on unregulated accommodation

24 March 2021 - 12:30pm

We like Article 39, Become, the Care Leavers Association and many others are in disbelief that the clear evidence on the isolation and risk that young people face in unregulated accommodation is being ignored.

Living as an atypical in a typical world with Katy Bartzis

19 March 2021 - 9:00am

Neurodiversity Celebration Week is recognised between 15 - 21 March this year and it aims to celebrate and raise awareness around neurological variations such as autism, learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and others.

Bridge College Parent/Carer Forum - Mental Wellness and Wellbeing

15 March 2021 - 4:45pm

At Bridge College we love to catch up with the parents/carers of our students. During this unprecedented time, we understand that sometimes we need to take some time out to focus on our mental wellness and wellbeing. Parents/carers were invited to come along to our virtual forum on 3rd March to do just that and to also use the opportunity to meet each other.

A woman sat in wheelchair talking to a man sat on a sofa

Share your memories of the Together Trust

15 March 2021 - 11:00am

Are you interested in local history? Would you enjoy learning a new skill and helping to preserve people’s stories and experiences?

As part of the Together Trust’s 150th anniversary celebrations, we are looking for volunteers to take part in an Oral Histories Project.

A dressed table with easter decorations and cakes

Bridge students' Easter themed cakes and decorations for competition

3 March 2021 - 5:15pm

Students across Bridge College took part in a hospitality skills competition last week. The task was to set up a table for an Easter-themed afternoon tea for two. The competition tested the competitor's knowledge and skills in health and safety, accountability for events and creativity in designing a themed event.

A branded banner image with the text "Virtual Easter appeal" and an illustration of people easter egg hunting

Launching our Virtual Easter Appeal

1 March 2021 - 12:00pm

Each year we run our annual easter appeal, where we ask people from our local community to donate chocolate eggs to the people we support. This year, due to the impact of Covid-19 and local restrictions, we need your help to raise money to ensure we can provide treats for the people we support this Easter.

Not all of the young people we support are able to have chocolates or edible treats, so we want to ensure we have alternative gifts available as well as the traditional chocolate eggs.