The HR Dept is thrilled to announce the launch of its new podcast channel, featuring insightful discussions on ‘Preventing People Problems’. The podcast will take a deep dive into the world of human resources, where listeners get expert advice, valuable tips, and guidance on a broad range of topics.
The first episode, ‘Investigations’, hosted by Tracey Hudson, addresses the challenges senior managers and business owners face when they become the subject of a grievance and workplace investigation. Hudson is joined by HR experts Sarah Bradley, HR Director, Leeds South, and Michaela Gartside, HR Director, Bracknell, Windsor & Heathrow, to discuss investigations when things go wrong, dealing with the emotions, the process, and the aftermath.
Business leaders will get practical guidance on navigating the complexities and nuances of workplace investigations. They will gain valuable insights from experienced HR professionals, learn practical strategies to address grievances, protect all parties involved, get closure, and foster a healthy work environment.
“We’re excited to launch the Preventing People Problems podcast, which is aimed mainly at small and medium-sized enterprises. Episode 1 delves into workplace investigations’ impact on leaders and employees. Our goal is to equip senior managers and business owners with the knowledge needed to handle these situations successfully,” said Tracey Hudson, Executive Director at The HR Dept South Warwickshire, North Warwickshire, Rugby & North Derbyshire.
Jessie May Children’s Hospice at Home proudly announces a partnership with the Bristol City Women’s Football Club. This collaboration marks a significant step forward, celebrating some amazing women and advancing the Jessie May mission of providing support to children and families in need.
As part of this exciting partnership, the Bristol City Women join as the first team ambassador for Jessie May, A group of highly talented and motivated women dedicated to making a difference in their communities. This partnership is sure to blossom, with a presence at Ashton Gate Stadium, engaging in social media appearances, and participating in fundraising challenges to support Jessie May’s work.
“We are thrilled to welcome the Bristol City Women’s Football Club as our first team ambassador,” said Daniel Cheesman, CEO at Jessie May Children’s Hospice at Home. “Their commitment to excellence both on and off the field resonates with our mission to provide exceptional care and support to children with life-limiting conditions and their families. We believe this partnership will create endless possibilities for raising awareness and vital funds to support our charity, and we are honoured that they have accepted our invitation to join us.”
The partnership between Jessie May and Bristol City represents a great step forward, highlighting the importance of community engagement in driving positive change.
“We’re delighted to be ambassadors for Jessie May,” said City wing-back Jamie-lee Napier. “When the team and I first went to visit the charity not many of us knew much about it but we were immediately inspired and wanted to know more when we met the amazing nurses, staff, and everyone involved. Hearing about what Jessie May is all about and the work they do behind the scenes with the families is truly incredible. We especially loved it when some of the families came to our game at Ashton Gate. It was amazing to meet them and hear their stories and just talk and get to know one another.”
“To be invited back feels like coming home. Jessie May is where I belong” Philippa Brownjohn
Jessie May Children’s Hospice at Home was first established by Chris and Philippa Purrington following the death of their baby daughter, Jessica May Purrington. This spring, on the 12th of May, Jessica would have turned 30 and to add to this poignant landmark Jessie May welcomes Philippa back to the charity, as their Honorary President.
The Jessie May Trust was set up by Chris and Philippa after they realised the at-home care they received during Jessica’s end-of-life diagnosis was not available in the Bristol area. Jessica was able to be cared for at home throughout her illness until she died in her father’s arms, with dignity, surrounded by love.
Philippa and Chris were determined to make this sort of care accessible, with the launch of Jessie May in 1996 allowing for children with life-limiting conditions to be supported by a trained nurse in their own homes and be given the chance to die at home when the time comes.
It was so important to Philippa that Jessica experienced as much as she could in her short lifetime; she wanted a sense of normality for her daughter. When taking her to the hospital in Bristol, Philippa was taken aback to see a baby boy alone crying who had nobody with him. She later found out that he had a life-limiting condition and that his family was unable to be with him. This deeply affected Philippa, as she recognised that he needed to be with his family and not isolated in a hospital room.
And so, the Jessie May Trust was born.
Jessie May CEO Daniel Cheesman is delighted by the news,
“We are incredibly proud to announce Philippa as Honorary President for Jessie May. It feels like a full-circle moment but also incredibly poignant as 2024 marks what would have been Jessica’s 30th birthday. Philippa’s vision has helped create the charity that we are today and means that we can support the hundreds of Jessie May children, young people and their families that we do today.”
On Wednesday 7th February six brave Jessie May Children’s Hospice at Home supporters will go to jail for the charity. The idea behind this fundraiser is that in order to leave jail, bail will need to be reached via fundraising.
Participating in the event are local businesspeople Tom Selman of Panoramic, Gemma Przytocka of Pear Tree plus five world snooker stars. Tom is both a trustee and long-time supporter of the work Jessie May do, and Gemma’s company Pear Tree are regular fundraisers. From the world of snooker players Jamie Jones and Stuart Bingham are joined by commentator Rob Walker and Matchroom Sports President Barry Hearn.
Jessie May Childrens Hospice at Home work in the southwest of the UK providing specialist palliative nursing care at home for children with life-limiting conditions. Jessie May nurses give expert care throughout a child’s life, extending their support to provide bereavement care for families following the death of a child.
“We are delighted that we have six brave volunteers willing to be jailed for this fun event that will raise vital funds. We rely on the generous support of our supporters to enable us to care for more young people and their families” Kim James-Coggins, Partnerships Executive at Jessie May
This morning saw the arrest of four of the UK’s known faces of world snooker. Snooker players Jamie Jones and Stuart Bingham are joined in jail by commentator Rob Walker and Matchroom Sports President Barry Hearn.
Fear not, it’s all in the name of charity. The chosen charity is Jessie May Children’s Hospice at Home and the idea behind this fundraiser is that to leave jail, bail will need to be reached via fundraising. Bail is set by a volunteer judge and must be reached to ensure release.
Jessie May Childrens Hospice at Home, work in the southwest of the UK. The charity provides specialist palliative nursing care at home for children with life-limiting conditions. Jessie May nurses provide palliative care throughout a child’s life, extending their support to provide bereavement care for families following the death of a child.
“Hopefully we’ll get dozens of donations to get us out as I’d rather not stay in a cell for too long! Jessie May is a fantastic charity and the important thing it to raise much-needed funds for them. With Stuart, Rob and Jamie in the same room I’m planning to have some fun as well! Please give generously.” Barry Hearn OBE
Throughout September, The HR Dept took part in ‘The HR Dept in the Community’ campaign to raise money for a local charity close to their hearts. Nationally, HR Dept franchises chose local charities to support.
HR Dept Central Office partnered with The HR Dept Bristol and The Health & Safety Dept Bristol to fundraise for Jessie May Trust, a charity based in the South West that cares for children with life-limiting conditions in their own homes.
They created an itinerary that included fundraising activities throughout the month, including an indoor cycling challenge that covered 688 miles, a team walk up Pen Y Fan, cake sales and a charity quiz night and raffle.
The team raised a brilliant £1500 for Jessie May, which will go towards supporting their palliative care nursing teams.
Felicity Kenny is the Managing Director of HR Dept,
“As a national franchise network, we wanted to find a way to support charities close to our hearts. It was great to see so many of our HR Dept business owners get involved in their local area, for what we hope will be the first year of many HR Dept in the community months.”
Be Astute are pleased to announce its exciting new partnership with Snook Digital, which is a creative digital marketing company specialising in e-commerce, website optimisation, and process improvement. As one of the South West’s leading management consulting firms, Be Astute knows that this collaboration will be a game changer.
Bill Stock of Be Astute, has worked with Nathan and Snook Digital for the past two years, so it was a natural decision to formalise this partnership.
Be Astute is all about collaboration, as the company was created by Bill and Julia Stock, a formidable husband and wife duo who decided to combine their individual years of expertise. They are business-focused IT specialists who have set up a business support company with a difference.
As a duo, they excel in every department, with credentials such as taking a company with 100 staff which was 90% paper-based, with staff who were highly reluctant IT users, and over a period of 8 years made the business 99% paper-free.
“This partnership means that we can offer clients more services than ever, allowing businesses to grow in ways that they did not even think were possible without our help”- Julia Stock
Similarly, Snook Digital are champion of its craft. Building fast, intricate sites that engage users in a way that entices them to learn more about your business or product. Nathan and the team have years of experience in software development, testing, and real-world customer experience, transforming a business’s front end and enhancing its back-end process.
Whilst Snook Digital specialises in digital marketing, Bill is an expert in databases with the ability to see your IT and data needs in relation to your whole business. To him, data is the blood supply of your business. This joint interest in the digital landscape and technology meant that a partnership was always going to happen between these two companies. Better data means better business, and Snook Digital and Be Astute can not be more excited to share this amazing collaboration.
Dragons RFC and Western Building Consultants are pleased to announce their partnership renewal for the forthcoming 2023-24 season.
Western Building Consultants pride themselves on the design work that they do to constantly enrich the local area through their unique approach to the built environment. This passion for the local area expands from the professional into the personal, with championing local grassroots sports being a significant element of their company’s ethics. Based on this, Western building Consultants will see their brand displayed around Rodney Parade along with the Player Sponsorship of returning great, Dan Lydiate.
Rodney Parade is located near one of Western Building Consultants offices in South Wales. Not only are the Dragons based near the office, but they are also local to Sam, one of the Directors of Western Building Consultants. Both of the Directors, Sam and James are avid rugby fans and originally bonded over their love of the sport when they first met at university. Together, they have long supported grassroots rugby teams with sponsorships in the communities they work in. Sam has personally been a season ticket holder at Rodney Parade for several years, living close by he splits his time between the Newport, Bath, and Bristol Offices. With both company Directors being such keen supporters of the Dragons, it felt like an easy decision to progress into sponsoring the club.
Last year, Western Building Consultants helped to sponsor the Dragons and this has continued through to the current season, with their support growing as a result of their anniversary celebrations. As Western Building Consultants are celebrating their 20th year, they knew that they wanted a big celebration, and so their support for the Dragons has been extended this year with their sponsorship of Wales International player Dan Lydiate who has moved back to the club for the 23/24 season.
Lydiate started his professional rugby playing journey with the Dragons at their academy, making his return to the club even more special – “It’s great to be back. I have fond memories here and I am determined to add to that”- Dan Lydiate
As a business based in the South West, with local Welsh offices and being partly Welsh owned the business is keen to support clubs in the local communities it works within, giving back to the local community. The profound positive impact sport has on communities and those that play it is recognised in Western Building Consultant’s CSR policy and they can think of no better way than to celebrate with the continued support for the Dragons RFC.
Jessie May Children’s Hospice at Home provides vital at-home nursing, family support and respite care for children and young people who have a terminal or life shortening condition. Families are able to make the most of the precious time they have left with their loved ones.
A parent said:
“Jessie May have been a source of strength for us both through this time. We view Jessie May as an extension of our family.”
There really is no place like home.
This year’s Impact Report 2022-2023 captures the busy year that Jessie May has had, and is a testament to all their achievements. It is packed with personal stories and awe-inspiring statistics that capture some of the remarkable work that Jessie May undertakes every day.
This year’s impact report includes a piece on Josephine and Francesca, twin girls who were cared for by Jessie May. It is a poignant account which explores their parent’s experiences of Jessie May’s support throughout their girls’ lives.
The report also contains an emotive diary entry from Vicky, a Jessie May Nurse. Her account gives us an insight into the expertise and kindness needed to provide palliative care to the children she nurses. Her gentleness and compassion are palpable.
“She receives her feed and, conscious that this could cause vomiting, we play a quiet game of dolls and dress ups while we wait for mum to come back, then hospital transport arrives to take them for a long afternoon of dialysis”.
It is a moving read showing how our nurses balance the play and medical needs of our children with such skill and humanity.
Daniel Cheesman, Jessie May’s CEO is delighted to share the charity’s achievements of 2022-23.
“Thanks to generous charitable donations 79 children and families shared in 4,377 hours of specialist nursing support. Jessie May are proud to have been able to support 53 families through bereavement and be able to offer them support for at least a further 5 years. We held a ‘bereaved family picnic’ in August to help families feel less isolated.
Jessie May’s wide reaching support has also ensured over 388 hours of telephone support and 1,039 text messages allowing parents to feel supported exactly when they need it. We asked families if their children felt happy and secure with their nurses, 100% of responses said yes! All of these achievements and more were made possible by our tireless staff, fundraisers and the generous trusts and foundations that support us.”
The year has had many fundraising highlights including Lloyd Kembrey’s ‘12 challenge’ which has seen him and his friends complete challenges that include an Ice Marathon and climbing the height of Everest. For those that preferred a less active fundraising event Jessie May also hosted their first charity dinner, raising over £18,000.
2022 also marked the launch of the “No Place Like Home” 5 year strategy from Jessie May. At the heart of the strategy is a commitment to working with more children and their wider families, especially siblings, in providing the best hospice care at home.
Daniel explains:
“Jessie May’s 5 strategy will also offer 24/7 End of Life Support for children in their own homes. They plan to launch new projects to support siblings and wider family members alongside the children they care for. We also plan to influence and support the establishment of services similar to Jessie May where they don’t yet exist. You can read more in our impact report.”
All in all Jessie May and its supporters have raised a total of £1,668,789. They are an essential service for children with life limiting illnesses.
The impact report lays out the emotions, the highs and the lows, the positive results of their care and the clear plan for the future of the charity. It is a moving and essential read. You will be able to download the report from the Jessie May website.
14 fantastic runners raised more than £22,000 for Jessie May tackling The London Marathon last weekend.
Jessie May is a charity that provides free specialist nursing, respite and bereavement care for terminally ill and life limited children and their families. They can give care in a family’s own home, where they feel most safe.
£22,000 will provide nearly 400 hours of specialist nursing care for the children Jessie May support.
Lloyd Kembrey, who ran the London Marathon in aid of Jessie May as part of his 12 challenges in a year, has raised more than £8000, and it’s only April! In addition to his running success, he has also done a triathlon and an ice marathon.
James Toft is proud to have completed the challenge.
“I knew the training would be a challenge, but didn’t realise how much it would take over my life… It’s been very demanding, but occasionally rewarding.… I managed to run [The London Marathon] and it was definitely one of the hardest things I’ve done in my life. It’s been an amazing experience, and I’d like to thank all my friends and family that have supported me along the way.”
Emily Dye from long-time Jessie May supporters Blackstar Communications got her place in The London Marathon in 2023 through the ballot.
“It was my fourth year of entering, and I nearly fell out of my chair when I found out I was in. I knew right away I wanted to run for a charity.
I know Jessie May through my employer, Blackstar Solutions. We have looked after Jessie May’s telephony needs since 2016. We like to be involved with the charities we look after, through fundraising and volunteering. Huge thanks to my colleagues at Blackstar for their support through sponsorship, sharing my fundraising story, and well wishes. This was especially motivating in the gritty miles, when all I wanted to do was stop.
Running the London Marathon for Jessie May was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s an emotional day to begin with, but even more so knowing every step you’re taking is helping families in your area. I was nearly in tears running down The Mall into the finish. If you haven’t entered the ballot for 2024 yet – do it!! It was a bucket-list experience, made all the better by being part of Team Jessie.”
Kim James Coggins, Community Engagement Fundraising Officer for Jessie May, was in London to support them:
“It was a chilly damp day, but as soon as I saw our runners charging past in their Jessie May tops with enormous smiles on their faces, I forgot the weather. I know each and every one of our runners have their own reasons for supporting our wonderful charity, and I admire them so much for what they have all achieved. It took them months of training and sacrifice for them to be ready for the London Marathon 2023. We were all in tears when they made it over the line. Thanks guys, we are so proud of you!”
“Our amazing runners are already thinking about their next sporty challenge in aid of Jessie May in 2024. That is such dedication, we can’t wait to see what they all do next year!”
