Case Studies
The Mentalisation Behaviour Therapy course
I wanted to thank you very much for the grant which you awarded to my clients. The grant provided support with after school club provision for the children while mum attended an MBT course in Oxford for her mental health each week. The course has challenged mum and has given her valuable time and support to focus on herself for once. The course has certainly been worth it and I would very much like to share some feedback following my discussion with her about the impact that the course has had on her and the whole family.
"Going on the Mentalisation Behaviour Therapy (MBT) course was a big thing for me. One big stress about attending was the cost of childcare for the children. It would have been a massive barrier to me attending if Witney Educational Foundation had not supported my family with a grant. The cost of childcare for three children is a lot when I have to pay for their school dinners too on my income. This winter with the cost of living increasing it would not have been feasible for me to go. When you have anxiety and depression if one problem can be solved then it helps with all the other issues.
"I have completed the initial course and have been offered a further 18 month course which I need in Banbury each week. I feel more positive moving forward knowing that I will be getting the help that I need. I found it really hard to go to a new place and meet people that I do not know. Now that I have done it with the first course I feel that I can do it again with the next course.
"Because the children also suffer with anxiety I have been able to use some of the techniques that I learnt on the course for myself with them. This is also having a positive impact on the rest of the family and feeds into our daily life. Thank you!"
This course was the tip of the iceberg for mum. The Complex Needs Adult Mental Health team have offered her a follow on course which is 18 months long in Banbury. By completing the initial MBT course the follow up support group will now be available to her.
Without support from Witney Educational Foundation I do not think mum would have attended, so thank you again for all you do to support local families.
Social Worker
Oxfordshire County Council
I wanted to thank you very much for the grant which you awarded to my clients. The grant provided support with after school club provision for the children while mum attended an MBT course in Oxford for her mental health each week. The course has challenged mum and has given her valuable time and support to focus on herself for once. The course has certainly been worth it and I would very much like to share some feedback following my discussion with her about the impact that the course has had on her and the whole family.
"Going on the Mentalisation Behaviour Therapy (MBT) course was a big thing for me. One big stress about attending was the cost of childcare for the children. It would have been a massive barrier to me attending if Witney Educational Foundation had not supported my family with a grant. The cost of childcare for three children is a lot when I have to pay for their school dinners too on my income. This winter with the cost of living increasing it would not have been feasible for me to go. When you have anxiety and depression if one problem can be solved then it helps with all the other issues.
"I have completed the initial course and have been offered a further 18 month course which I need in Banbury each week. I feel more positive moving forward knowing that I will be getting the help that I need. I found it really hard to go to a new place and meet people that I do not know. Now that I have done it with the first course I feel that I can do it again with the next course.
"Because the children also suffer with anxiety I have been able to use some of the techniques that I learnt on the course for myself with them. This is also having a positive impact on the rest of the family and feeds into our daily life. Thank you!"
This course was the tip of the iceberg for mum. The Complex Needs Adult Mental Health team have offered her a follow on course which is 18 months long in Banbury. By completing the initial MBT course the follow up support group will now be available to her.
Without support from Witney Educational Foundation I do not think mum would have attended, so thank you again for all you do to support local families.
Social Worker
Oxfordshire County Council
The Hedgehog Club
Summer Activity Days Report, September 2021
The Hedgehog Club runs holiday clubs at Hailey Community Wood for children aged between 5 and 11 years old. The days start at 9.30am and finish at 3.30pm. It is a full day of outdoor activities and nature connection. Throughout July and August 7 days were run and 7 children from Witney Community Primary School benefited from the places. Some only came for one day but most of the children attended more than 1 of the days.
The activities included building dens in the wood as a team building exercise, using tools such as knives, loppers and saws to make bows and arrows, whittling sticks for marshmallow toasting, fire lighting using a fleet and steel. The children also looked for butterflies and were able to identify them once they were caught. We went foraging for plums and blackberries in the woods. As well as time just to chill out in the hammocks and be outside with their friends’ building relationships and following their own interests.
The children really enjoyed the days and the feedback from some of the parents below show that they appreciated it too. Feedback from a family who attended the days:
• my grandchildren, Evie and Frankie have loved going to your hedgehog club
• They both had a fantastic day today, thank you, Mandy for making everything fun for them.
Thank you for making this possible for them and I hope we can work together in the future.
Mandy Warwick
[email protected]
The activities included building dens in the wood as a team building exercise, using tools such as knives, loppers and saws to make bows and arrows, whittling sticks for marshmallow toasting, fire lighting using a fleet and steel. The children also looked for butterflies and were able to identify them once they were caught. We went foraging for plums and blackberries in the woods. As well as time just to chill out in the hammocks and be outside with their friends’ building relationships and following their own interests.
The children really enjoyed the days and the feedback from some of the parents below show that they appreciated it too. Feedback from a family who attended the days:
• my grandchildren, Evie and Frankie have loved going to your hedgehog club
• They both had a fantastic day today, thank you, Mandy for making everything fun for them.
Thank you for making this possible for them and I hope we can work together in the future.
Mandy Warwick
[email protected]
Witney Partnership of Schools
We received a request from the Witney Partnership of Schools (WPOS) for a grant to pay for music concerts that will take place across the Partnership. The concerts take place twice a year for all children in Year 2 and Year 5. The concerts enable the children work with a local composer. In addition to working with the children, the composer also offers training sessions for school staff so that they can develop their knowledge and support the children with learning the material back in school. The Governors approved a grant of £4,000 for this programme.
Witney Community Primary School
Witney Community Primary School requested a grant to help pay for three children from low income families, to attend the school residential trip to Shugborough Outdoor Educational Activities Centre, Staffordshire. This is a three day package which includes team building and adventure activities, such as climbing, archery, canoeing, orienteering and campfires. This trip is considered to be an important part of the children’s development and helps improve their confidence and social skills. The Governors approved a grant of £310 for this request.
Witney Buttercross Scout Group
Witney Buttercross Scout Group needed a grant to buy some additional camping equipment. The Scouts stated in their application that the Lomond tents that were purchased last year with a grant from WEF had been so successful that they would like to double the number of tents and dispose of their old less durable tents. In addition to the tents, the Scouts would also like to buy a gas urn to replace a broken one, eight folding tables and ten camping hammocks. The Governors approved a grant of £2,291 for these items.
The Henry Box School
We received a request from The Henry Box School for a grant to help four Pupil Premium students go on a school sports trip to Portugal. The trip is to Lisbon with forty eight students and five members of staff. Both hockey and football have been selected for this tour due to the talent amongst the current year 7 and year 8 students. The parents and students are expected to raise all the funds for the tour themselves, which totals £780 per student. The four Pupil Premium students are either looked after by the local authority, eligible for Free School Meals or whose parents are serving in the armed forces. The Governors approved a grant of £440 for this project.
Injury Minimization Programme for Schools
The Injury Minimization Programme for Schools (IMPS) needed a grant to help pay for primary schools in Witney to send their children on an IMPS programme. IMPS is an injury prevention programme which empowers over 400 Year 6 primary school children from Witney annually, to take responsibility for managing their own risk. Attending an IMPS programme gives the children confidence and skills to look after their friends and family and know how to cope in an emergency situation. This is achieved with an online resource in school, a visit to the local hospital to learn basic life support skills, including use of the recovery position and first aid. A visit to the emergency department is included to reduce the fear of hospitals should an emergency occur. The Governors approved a grant of £3,000 for this project.
