FROM THE CEO
Welcome to the Spring edition of our Footprint's Newsletter, The Gate.
The Prison and Probation system has been in the press a lot over the recent months, unfortunately, not in a favourable light. However as Spring is a time for new life and growth, we will continue to support those affected by the current system in Dorset and Hampshire into our 21st year!
We are very proud of the work we do and the people we support. We are excited to share that work with you in this newsletter, including
- Save the Date: Upcoming Events
- Our Impact: Emily's Story
- Second Chance Art Group New Workshop and 4th Anniversary
- New Funding for Footprints and Our Projects
- New Volunteers and Opportunities within Footprints
As always, we are enormously grateful for your support.
Caroline, CEO Footprints Project
Save the Date: Upcoming Events
Join us for a fun and informative evening for all.
To celebrate our 21st Anniversary, Kate Adie will talk at Barnsgrove, Greywell. Kate Adie is a long-time supporter and patron of Footprints, and we are extremely grateful for her continued support.
Additionally, we are finalising a talk by Jung Chang, best known for her autobiography, Wild Swans, to be held in Dorset. Date to be confirmed soon.
Details for tickets for both events will be posted on the website closer to the dates. For more information, visit our website and follow us on social media.
Our Impact: Emily's Story
Footprints has spent the last 21 years helping people restart their lives and give back to the community. Over time, our approaches and projects have grown and developed to tackle changing situations and problems our service users face. However, at the core of our charity, always has been the goal of helping people and breaking the cycle of crime. Take Emily's* story below;
*The name has been changed to protect the individual's identity
Emily was a victim of modern slavery, resulting in her son's identity being stolen. She was referred to Footprints after receiving a conditional caution for being drunk while in charge of a child under 7. After fleeing an abusive partner, she began living in a safe house and was applying for residential status.
Our staff arranged one-on-one calls, over 16 weeks, during which they helped Emily enrol in a language course, and her son enrol at a nursery. She continued to engage with Social Services and Child Protection Notification. She was focused and working hard to improve her and her son's lives despite her terror that her ex-partner might find her. She was desperate to remain in Bournemouth until her residential status was approved and was deeply remorseful for the incident that led to her caution.
Emily was given time each week with our staff to focus on the positive aspects of life. She was supported to engage with Social Services and the Health Visitor. Soon after, Emily received the news that her son could remain with her and would be starting school soon. At the time her support concluded, she had applied for a passport for her son and was preparing to apply for residential status in January 2026.
We are incredibly proud of everything Emily has done, and we recently received an update from her saying she was granted indefinite leave to remain in February 2026. We wish her all the best as she continues to build a life for herself and her son.
The Second Chance Art Group's 4th Anniversary Celebration
Second Chance Art Group New Workshop and 4th Anniversary
Recently, our Second Chance Art group has taken on a new workshop at The Old School House in Boscombe, enabling them to reach more women. Additionally, we surprised our Second Chance Art group with a 4th-anniversary celebration during their last session.
One of our users said, “Coming to the Art sessions makes me feel calmer. I can forget all my worries and feel more confident.”
We originally set up this community art group in 2022 to help women who struggle with day-to-day life by encouraging their creativity to make art. Items our participants make are exhibited and sold at the Shire Hall Museum in Dorchester and online on our website, supporting their progress and helping the project grow. We are proud and grateful for the Shire Hall Museum for this collaboration.
We are also looking for local volunteers who want to help us make a difference through art and community. Anyone interested can contact our art coordinator, Helen, at Helen@footprintsproject.co.uk.
New Funding for Footprints and Our Projects
We know this is a challenging time for everyone, so we want to thank you and the Trusts, corporations and funders who have continued to support us.
Recently, we were selected as one of eight national charities to be included in the Co-op Future Communities Fund, supporting organisations that help young people with experience of the justice system re-engage with their communities. We are receiving an incredible £150,000, which will allow us to expand our work focusing on under-25s. With the funding provided, we will build on the work Stuart and our service users began, giving life-experience talks and mentoring to under-25s across Hampshire and Dorset.
We have also secured three years of funding from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner in Hampshire, to support our Approved Premises work with High-Risk of Harm Offenders. Furthermore, our Dorset-based Women's Diversionary service has been funded by Dorset Police and PCC for a further year. In addition, we want to extend our thanks and acknowledge Dorset Council, the Alice Ellen Cooper-Dean Foundation and the Makin Family Trust for their recent support.
We are also grateful for all our donations from the public, such as yourself.
Despite the backing of major charitable foundations, we still need additional funding to ensure the charity can continue supporting the most vulnerable in 2027. 10% of our capital comes from public support. All donations, no matter how small, help us in this mission. If you can donate, you can find more details on our website.
Thank you for any and all support.
New volunteers receiving their Certificate of Completion
New Volunteers and Opportunities within Footprints
As of March, 8 new volunteers have completed their 2-day training to become one of our Fresh Start Mentors, supporting people in the community.
One of the participants praised the experience, saying, "The ability to have group discussions, and [being] a bit more informal made it easier to feel comfortable talking and asking questions."
We wish them the best as they continue to find their footing in the Footprints team. Footprints relies on volunteers who are willing to give their time to support our projects and missions. If you can spare 3 hours a week, we would love to hear from you at info@footprintsproject.co.uk or through our website.
Don't forget, being a mentor is not the only volunteer position Footprints offers. We are looking for volunteers in our Second Chance Art Group, Social Media and Website Team and Fundraiser and Event Organisation Team.
Second Chance Art Volunteer: Our community support art group is looking for help during their weekly art sessions every Tuesday afternoon in Boscombe. This role involves being friendly, chatting and maintaining a safe space where the women can relax. Whether you're a professional or just someone who enjoys arts and crafts, this role could be for you, as no skill is required. You can learn more about the project on our website.
Community Fundraiser and Events Volunteer: We are looking to create a team to help coordinate local initiatives, such as running collections at supermarkets, organising fundraising events like county markets and stalls, or arranging ticketed events and talks. This is a home-based position, building a group of volunteers to support and encourage one another.
Social Media and Website Volunteer: We have onboarded a new website and are looking for a team to expand upon the new foundations. We are looking for someone interested in creating content to keep our supporters informed through social media and blog posts, promote upcoming events, and keep the website content updated with support from press releases. This is a home-based role, and any help, big or small, will be greatly appreciated.
If you are interested in any of these roles, contact us at info@footprintsproject.co.uk or through our website.
Thank you for reading our Spring edition of the newsletter. Keep up to date with Footprints on our website and social media.
