Generous donors give harvest gifts

Portesbery Road pupils and staff deliver their harvest produce and meet Step by Step clients.

(Click image for larger picture)

In today's culture, harvest festivals can seem like a harmless throwback to a bygone era, but for the young residents of Step by Step's accommodation services, they play a vital part in their lives, providing both sustenance and development opportunities.

Based in Aldershot, Step by Step's aim is to help homeless young people and others who face adversity by providing accommodation, support and training. The accommodation services provide basic accommodation and are structured to encourage clients to take an increasingly active role in caring for themselves and others. Many of the young people have little or no idea about cooking, nutrition or budgeting and, with the help of the staff at Step by Step, they are able to learn these basic practical skills as they prepare meals for themselves and other residents. As they progress through the accommodation stages they are expected to budget and shop for themselves until they are able to live independent lives.

Gifts received from generous harvest festival donations from schools and churches throughout the area provide sufficient non-perishable food (such as pasta, rice, cook-in sauces, tins of meat, fruit and vegetables) to last for a whole year - until harvest time comes round again. Step by Step is hugely grateful for this regular support, as it enables the charity to focus its resources on providing fresh food for clients.

Community Fundraiser Gill Butler said “This is the first time I have helped collect harvest festival donations around the area for Step by Step. I was completely staggered by the vast quantity of produce given by schools and churches in the area. On two occasions the boot and back seat of my car were full to overflowing. The food and toiletries donated are invaluable to us, and the level of generosity and commitment every year is quite amazing.”

Some organisations deliver their gifts in person. A group of pupils and their teachers from Portesbery School in Camberley, which caters for children and young people with severe learning difficulties, visited Step by Step's Aldershot offices to hand over their gifts. Staff member Cathryn Golds said “The pupils enjoy bringing the harvest festival collection to Step by Step, meeting clients and seeing where they live. It really helps them to understand where their donations are going and how they will be used.”

Step by Step provides more than just a warm bed. As well as fulfilling their domestic duties in their accommodation, clients are expected to participate in training to improve their life skills, including numeracy and literacy, using computers, writing a CV and searching for employment. Other activities promote physical, mental and social health, and help to build self-esteem and confidence, which is often lacking in homeless young people. As a result, three-quarters of Step by Step clients stabilise or progress towards independent living.

Step by Step is very grateful to all the organisations who provide harvest produce and a full list of donors can be seen on our website here. If your church or school would like to volunteer to help us in any way, please contact Gill Butler on 01252 321317 or email us at fundraising@stepbystep.org.uk.

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Harvest generosity benefits homeless youngsters