Month: October 2023

New statistics show the real difference your support makes

Wednesday 18th October 2023

In the first six months from 1st April to end of September 2023, Eikon has been there for 1,527 children and young people 8,982 times.

 

Click on our new infographic to find out how with your support, these young people and their families have a safe place to turn.

These incredible numbers only tell part of the story. The real impact is in the difference made for children and young people and their families. A young person recently told us, “When I first met Sarah, I was depressed, unmotivated, having anxiety attacks, and had a real lack of self-belief…I’m now happier and believe I can achieve my dreams.”

In a recent survey of 100+ children and young people we’ve helped in the first quarter of 2023-24…

  • 100% said they were given the support they needed at the right time,
  • 100% said that the support improved their situation, and
  • 100% said they would recommend Eikon to other children in similar situations.

It’s hugely motivating for us to see the positive transformations in the children and young people we help. You can click on the stories below, to hear more from the children and young people you support.
doodle-smiley-face-02

Latest stories

See all stories
Tillingbourne Junior’s Wellbeing Ambassadors lead on Children’s Mental Health Week Assembly
Eikon joins in Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2025
From Year 7 and beyond: How our Fullbrook transitions programme helped empower students to build confidence and resilience.

Growing community support for Eikon’s Tea Garden

Thursday 12th October 2023

The Eikon Gardens are a place for young people to learn new skills, make friends, relax in nature, and talk to a trusted adult in a safe space.

The Hopes and Dreams Garden and the recently renovated Tea Garden are only possible with the help of so many different kinds of community support. From donating plants to refreshing furniture with a lick of paint, or weeding and maintaining the gardens. Every job, however big or small, helps bring together this wonderful space for everyone to enjoy. Whether that’s at our Gardening Clubs, a session with an Eikon practitioner in the gardens, or a moment of rest and reflection with a cup of tea outside. And just as no job by itself maintains the gardens, no one person is ever alone.

Through weekly Gardening Clubs, students help maintain the gardens and last year they fundraised to give the green spaces a makeover. Recently we also received a wide range of generous support from our community to help improve the new Tea Garden. As a result of this community support, the Gardening Clubs have been able to lay fresh gravel, plant new flowers, and create a Tea Garden space for young people, Eikon staff and volunteers, and visiting parents and carers to enjoy.

yellow doodle flower

Donated plants from J.Parker’s

J.Parker’s, a well-known plant nursery in Manchester contacted us to kindly donate plants for our Gardening Clubs. Their generous contribution of over 80 bulbs and plants and a great quantity of seeds will help to brighten up our gardens – a thriving space for wildlife and beautiful place for reflection.

It means so much for children and young people to be able to plant these bulbs, watch them grow and thrive.

“The garden is like my time at Eikon. We don’t see the changes straight away, but one day we will notice three flowers.” – young person

Pictured is an Osteospermum flowering plant from J.Parkers, adding a splash of colour to the Tea Garden.

Osteospermum potted flowers

 

Volunteers got their hands in the soil

In June, Lucy from Bupa UK and Rose from a local marketing agency Space & Time Media, spent a day volunteering in the Tea Garden. Lucy and Rose helped with weeding, clearing and scrubbing, leaving our Tea Garden area looking spotless and ready for the gardening club to lay gravel and grow more plants.

Lucy and Rose said “Thank you so so much for organising the day. We had a great time… It was lovely to meet so many of the Eikon team and see so many young people using the services. It was fab!”

Joanne, Eikon Schools Team said “Lucy and Rose were lovely. They were happy to engage in any activity that was needed and were a ray of sunshine themselves.”

Thank you Lucy and Rose!

There are lots of different ways corporate teams can get involved and help young people in Surrey. You can find out more about corporate support here.

Two corporate volunteers in garden with Chris, CEO of Eikon
Raised beds in the Eikon Tea Garden
Corporate volunteers in the Tea Garden posing with cake

 

Fantastic furniture restored by Woking & District Men’s Shed

To complete the Tea Garden area, Woking & District Men’s Shed restored a set of old rusty, un-loved metal table and chairs. The furniture now has pride of place in the Tea Garden. Young people, staff and volunteers, and parents and carers can sit on the garden furniture and appreciate the new outdoor space for rest and reflection.

Thank you to Woking & District Men’s Shed for also donating two Swift Boxes – the young people at Gardening Clubs plan to use these in the main Hopes and Dreams Garden to support the local wildlife.

Green garden furniture
Eikon and Woking & District Men's Shed with garden furniture
Restored garden furniture in Eikon Tea Garden
Swift Boxes on a potting bench

Generous support from Byfleet United Charity

We want to say a huge thank you the Byfleet United Charity who generously funded this Tea Garden restoration project as part of their donation after visiting our Garden Open Day in 2022.

“Gardening club is for all school years and is relaxing and somewhere to have a rest with nature.” – young person

We know that being outside with nature can have a significant positive impact on our wellbeing. Thanks to community support like this, our garden spaces at Eikon can continue to provide a safe space for young people to connect with nature, relax and have fun.

“The garden project is wonderful. It brings such joy. Thank you” – Guest at Garden Open Day 2023

Yellow doodle of leaf

How you can get involved…

All of us at Eikon and the young gardeners are so grateful for this community support! It has helped transform a space for everyone to enjoy and we couldn’t be happier with how it looks.

Do you want to help your community and spend time in nature?

We’re looking for adult volunteers to help us at weekly Gardening Clubs, or to provide ad-hoc help to maintain the garden. If you’re interested, please contact schools@eikon.org.uk for more information.

More volunteering opportunities
Animated thank you words

Celebrating with the LGBTQ+ community

Monday 2nd October 2023

Celebrating and connecting with the LGBTQ+ community in September 2023.

Animated sun

Our Project Worker Katy reflected on the event…

 

“🌈 We had an amazing day talking about our LGBTQ+ youth group and giving out temporary tattoos.

It was incredible to see so many people coming together to celebrate and support the LGBTQ+ community. And meeting other organisations also supporting young people across Surrey was really empowering.

We all have a role to play in increasing visibility, keeping LGBTQ+ people safe, and creating a more inclusive future. 🏳️‍🌈”

Doodle twizzle
Two Eikon Youth Workers at Pride in Surrey stall

 

This year, our stall in the youth zone enabled us to have fantastic conversations with young people and families about LGBTQ+ support available in Surrey. We also had our mural where everyone could add their message of support, and see that Eikon and others are here for them if they need a place of safety and inclusion.

Eikon logo pride mural
Eikon Pride in Surrey stall
Information pin board at Eikon Pride in Surrey stall

Support for LGBTQ+ young people

Eikon offers friendly, confidential and practical support to all young people in Surrey and their families. We’re excited to share that our LGBTQ+ youth group and one-to-one support sessions will be resuming in October! These provide a safe space for young people to access support and guidance, as well as a chance to share and discuss feelings and emotions around being part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Our LGBTQ+ youth groups are safe spaces for questions, support, discussions, activities and to make new friends. Our groups are completely free and open to all young people aged 11-18 (or up to 24 for young people and SEND) across Surrey who identify as LGBTQ+ or questioning. Click the link below to register your interest for our youth groups.

Register your interest
doodle cursor arrow
Eikon LGBTQ+ pride mural

LGBTQ+ support for schools and parents & carers

In addition to our work with LGBTQ+ young people, we support families and schools to foster inclusivity. Parents and carers can access one-to-one support sessions with their young people and/or separately, as well as attend upcoming parent workshops. Schools and colleges can also request visits featuring pop-up stands, assemblies and LGBTQ+ youth drop-ins.

You can reach us at eikonLGBT@eikon.org.uk to book a visit or find out more about any of the above.

LGBTQ+ information table covered in leaflets and stickers