S7 Ep5 - First Days Children's Charity

The RG10 Podcast - featuring the people, places and events of interest across our area of the Thames Valley

As the weather turns colder and we approach the festive season, the number of people finding themselves in financial difficulties is growing due to soaring energy bills and the rising cost of living.

Despite Wokingham being one of the most prosperous boroughs in the UK, it now has over 5,000 children living under the poverty line. This figure was unimaginable to our podcast guest, Emma Cantrell, when she founded First Days Children's Charity ten years ago. She wanted to help the then relatively small number of local families struggling financially by providing items that were essential but beyond their means, such as beds, school uniforms, baby equipment and toiletries.

Nowadays the charity supports thousands of children living in households with financial difficulties across Bracknell, Reading and Wokingham. As well as providing essential equipment, they have a community outreach service to find those that are reluctant to come forward and seek help for the first time. The needs-led support includes one-to-one coaching to help restore confidence, signpost to other services and empower people to find solutions and move forwards.

Emma talks about the work of the charity and its plans for helping the larger number of families that will be struggling to afford Christmas gifts for their children or to keep their homes warm this winter.

She outlines the First Days ethos of giving families back the gift of choice - often the first thing they lose when facing financial difficulties. The work involves the charity staff and volunteers needing to combine a soft heart to show empathy with a tough mind to get things done.

This winter, First Days is opening its new Elevate Centre in Wokingham, where families will be invited to choose from a range of children's Christmas gifts and items for a food hamper. They can also stay a while in the Snug, where children can play in a warm and welcoming environment while parents have a hot drink, charge devices, do some washing and access other services.

The charity is appealing to residents and businesses to help fund their work by making a donation or purchasing from their Amazon wish list.

To support the charity or access their services: https://www.firstdays.net/

Read about First Days in RG10 Magazine: https://bit.ly/3EVh0C8
Sponsorship opportunity: Raise awareness of your business with the RG10 Podcast audience by sponsoring an episode or a series.
Request details: rg10mag.com/contact/

Sponsorship opportunity: Raise awareness of your business with the RG10 Podcast audience by sponsoring an episode or a series.
Request details: rg10mag.com/contact/
You can also:
- Share the podcast with others
- Leave a review on Apple Podcasts
- Rate the RG10 Podcast on Spotify
- Follow the show on your preferred podcast platform
- Subscribe to the RG10 Podcast on YouTube for the video version.
https://rg10mag.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/rg10-marketing/
https://www.youtube.com/@RG10Marketing
https://www.facebook.com/RG10mag
https://www.instagram.com/rg10mag