As part of #GoodtoGrow2024, we hosted an open day at our Community Allotment on Terrace Road, Walton on Thames, to celebrate our volunteers and also showcase to potential referrers the opportunities to join our growing project . There was cake, origami bee making, positive affirmations (also bee-related!) as well as sunflower seed planting. It was wonderful day where we joined as a community to celebrate nature and the positive impact it can have on our physical and mental health. Good to Grow Week runs all week (22 – 29 April) and is organised by the charity Sustain. The week celebrates the ..read more

Surrey Drug and Alcohol Care (SDAC) is a registered charity that provides vital support to people in Surrey who struggle with alcohol or substance abuse issues. Thanks to our small grant of £5,000, the charity can now offer more help to the growing number of Elmbridge residents who need their services and they are currently helping 34 Elmbridge clients. SDAC operates a telephone counselling service and a programme of free counselling sessions to those referred by professionals such as GPs, alcohol liaison nurses in hospitals, or other agencies. The support is open to those affected, as well a ..read more

Walton Charity has been chosen to partner with RHS Wisley Gardens as part of their RHS Gardens of Imagination 2024 project, part-funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The work, as part of the Inspiring people to grow campaign, includes collaborating with an artist to explore through creative workshops, how modern-day herbal remedies are represented in Elmbridge’s growing communities. This can be through the healing power of gardens, as well as gardening and plants. As part of their work, the artist will explore the following questions with people and communities: Volunteers at RHS Wis ..read more

St John’s Church in Walton is more than just a place of worship. It is also a community hub that offers a range of services and activities to help people in need. Thanks to a grant of £15,000 from Walton Charity, the church has recently hired a community engagement worker. Her role is to coordinate the volunteers and develop new ways of reaching out to the residents of St John’s Estate, Fieldcommon, and other areas in Walton. Café and foodbank volunteers One of the services provided at the hub is a community café, where people can enjoy a hot drink, free cakes and pastries and a chat. The caf ..read more

Being a new dad can be exciting, but also stressful and overwhelming. Many fathers struggle with their mental health during this transition, especially if they face additional barriers such as isolation, poverty, or lack of family support. That’s why Home-Start Elmbridge, a charity that supports families with young children, launched ‘Dad Matters.’ The project aims to improve the wellbeing of new and expectant fathers and help them have the best possible relationship with their family. Walton Charity awarded £10,000 for the initial pilot project, which started in 2023, in partnership with oth ..read more

The foodbank is experiencing an unprecedented increase in the number of people being referred for emergency food support. Although our foodbank had anticipated a spike in demand due to the cost-of-living crisis, the number of people currently being helped is much higher than ever have predicted. Nina Malyon, Manager of the Walton & Hersham Foodbank, says, “We are acutely aware that we cannot keep ramping up the service indefinitely which is why we are focusing on involving more support services, particularly at The Bridge, to look at ways that we can help people out of crisis." During Janu ..read more

Does your charity want to get involved in more outdoor projects?There are many things that affect our health that can’t be treated by doctors alone. Loneliness, stress, and anxiety caused by financial pressures or poor housing are things that can’t be treated with medicine. Green social prescribing connects people with non-medical support to help with issues like these. How can Walton Charity help?We have outdoor spaces around Elmbridge available for local organisations. You can refer the people you work with to our existing projects or come and run your own!   The community allotment ..read more

The Molesey Churches Night Shelter opened its doors again at the beginning of December, offering emergency accommodation for people who are homeless over the winter months. Up to 12 guests are housed each night, supported by the night shelter manager and an incredible team of volunteers, who offer homemade meals and a friendly listening ear. During their time at the shelter, guests can get help finding homes with long-term tenancies, can access specialist support through the Bridge the Gap* programme, and take steps towards rebuilding their lives. The night shelter is very much a community ve ..read more

“You have no idea how much I needed this, I have lost sleep worrying about Christmas and this will change that. Thank you!” — One mum receiving Santa Stork presents   For the third year running, Walton Charity teamed up with Stripey Stork, to ensure more children across Elmbridge had a gift to open on Christmas Day.   Thanks to the local residents, businesses, schools and community groups across Elmbridge who generously supported our Santa Stork Christmas Appeal, donating £7,421. With matched donations from both Walton Charity and Elmbridge Borough Council, the total raised was ..read more

Walton Charity was delighted to host a visit from Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Edinburgh on Thursday 18 January. The Duchess met a number of Elmbridge community groups at Burview Hall – one of Walton Charity’s community properties and home of Elmbridge Mencap. Her Royal Highness started her visit by meeting the Walton & Hersham Foodbank team where she helped to sort food donations and pack food parcels. She heard about the recent ‘Fill a Mini Challenge’ where food donations from the local community filled 20 Mini cars to mark 10 years of the foodbank. She also heard more about The B ..read more