Aldingbourne Country Centre has received £600 from Tesco's Stronger Starts scheme to purchase new pond dipping equipment. This will be used for wildlife and nature workshops, designed to inspire all their visitors to care for the world they live in and to develop a far greater connection to nature.​

The Trust unearthed itself 46 years ago to tackle post-education opportunities for people with learning disabilities and autism. It's still one of their largest projects, offering day services, training, and employment to the people they support and also an award-winning visitor attraction site.

Visitor & Enterprise Operations Manager Karen Tyrrell said, "We are extremely grateful to receive this grant, as it will enable us to expand our innovative, stimulating, immersive, and inclusive education programme for a wide range of groups, including nursery schools, schools, home educators, youth groups, and community organisations."

To boost funds for extra food and activity equipment, Tesco is introducing a £5m grant programme, in partnership with Groundwork UK, to give children across the UK a stronger start in life. The grants will help schools and children's groups provide nutritious food and healthy activities that support young people's physical health and mental wellbeing, such as breakfast clubs or snacks, and equipment for healthy activities.

Tesco's Stronger Starts – previously Tesco Bags of Help and Tesco Community Grants - has already provided over £110 million to more than 60,000 projects across Britain. 

Claire de Silva, Tesco UK Head of Communities and Local Media, said: "Helping schools and children's groups access the food and resources they need is vitally important in getting children a stronger start in life. Children with enough food have more energy, better concentration, and ultimately achieve more too."

Graham Duxbury, Groundwork's UK Chief Executive, said: "As a community charity, we have seen first-hand how schools and other groups supporting young people have been playing a much bigger role in ensuring children are getting a healthy start to the day and getting access to spaces and services to support physical activity and mental health. Family budgets are tight and school budgets are tight, but it's so important that children stay fed, fit and focused, so we're delighted to be able to prioritise these activities alongside Tesco with the Stronger Starts programme."

Funding is available to community groups and charities looking to fund local projects that bring benefits to communities. To find out more, visit tescoplc.com/strongerstarts
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For any media inquiries, please contact Lizzie Senn at [email protected]

In response to rising concerns about suicide rates, Portsmouth hosted the annual Let's Get Talking About Suicide event on September 7th. The event, part of the city's efforts to support the National Suicide Prevention Strategy, aims to break the stigma surrounding mental health and provide direct support to individuals in need.

Back for its second year, the event featured a variety of tents offering creative therapy, physical activities, and mental well-being sessions. It also provided crucial information on suicide prevention, mental health services, and support networks, helping people and their families connect with the resources they might not otherwise have known existed. 

Working with the Portsmouth City Council and Victoria Park, we were really fortunate to hold this event in such a public space. The community-centered location made it accessible for everyone. A passerby told us, "I was just walking through the park, heard the music and saw the activities and thought I'd pop in to see what it was all about. I'm glad I did, as I have learnt so much more about what Portsmouth services have to offer."

1 in 5 people will experience suicidal thoughts in their lifetime. Despite this, only 45% feel comfortable talking about it. Together, we can change that, and we already are. One person shared, "I attended last year's event and was in a bad place. The support I received from one of the participating services has helped me immensely, so I wanted to return this year to let them know how well I was doing." 

Sometimes, all it takes is showing up and finding that one person, service, or resource that can make a real difference. Thanks to the support from Ripple, HSBC UK, The Ollie Foundation, and many more, we were able to bring together dozens of local organisations who were ready to listen. That's the true impact of events like this—raising awareness is important, but helping people feel seen and supported can save lives. And not just for those feeling suicidal, but their loved ones too.
We would like to thank everyone who joined us on the day. Whether you shared your story, listened, or simply came to show your support. Let's keep talking about suicide.

If you or someone you know is struggling, there are organisations ready to listen and help. You can reach out to:

• Samaritans – Call 116 123, available 24/7
• Mind – Call 0300 123 3393 or text 86463
• Shout – Text 'SHOUT' to 85258 for free, confidential support via text

Written by Lizzie Senn. For any media inquiries, please get in touch with [email protected]

This past weekend (7th of September) marked the return of 'Let's Get Talking About Suicide' for its second year. Leading up to this occasion, organiser and MAKE manager Sarah Mitas undertook the impressive challenge of walking 100km in just 30 days to raise awareness and funds for the event. 

Sarah grew up in the countryside and recalls long, sun-filled walks, snowball fights, and boat trips down the canal with her father as a child. "I was always a daddy's girl and jumped at any opportunity to spend time with him, whether that was getting up early to see him off to work or sneaking to the pub with him, whether he liked it or not!"

But at 13 years old, Sarah's world was turned upside down. "I was picked up from school at lunchtime and told the tragic news that my father had taken his own life. My world as I had known it ended in that conversation. In the months to come, we moved away from Odiham to Portsmouth. My dad became a memory, and not one that was talked about. I was surrounded by people who had never known his kind, gentle nature, and the man I missed."

Sarah wanted to ensure that nobody felt that alone again. And so, the seeds for the 'Let's Get Talking About Suicide' event were planted. Still, it wasn't until last year that, with the support of Aldingbourne Trust, the event finally became a reality.

Preparations went a little differently this year as Sarah took on a mighty challenge: walking 100km in 30 days during the Euros. 

"The walk was brilliant and something I'll carry on," Sarah explains. "It improved my mood and gave me time to free my mind to cope with my own daily challenges. Time was an issue though - days fill up, and trying to walk 100km in 30 days is a challenge after all!"

Even when her husband Mat faced setbacks, Sarah stayed committed. "He got blisters, so we had to make up a bit of time for his feet to recover."

When asked how Mat reacted to the challenge, Sarah laughs: "He laughed and said, 'Let's do this!' Mat is the most supportive person and knows how much suicide prevention means to me. I've suffered my own mental ill health throughout the years, and he recognises the signs. He's a guiding light in some of the darkest places my mind has visited."

The event itself was a festival of life, offering free well-being activities like yoga, storytelling, fitness, and creative workshops. A moving addition this year was the launch of the "Speak Their Name" Quilt, dedicated to those lost to suicide, alongside a memorial tent where people could pay their respects.

Looking ahead, Sarah's hopes for the event are simple but powerful: "I'm hoping in the future the festival will become one of living life. In an ideal world, suicide will not be present. Lives matter, and people enjoying their time on this planet matter. A zero-suicide society is my mission. I want everyone to feel valued and loved, to know their worth, and to realise just how much they shine."

Sarah knows that everyone's experience with loss is different, but she shares her own thoughts for others who've lost loved ones to suicide: "I want people to realise there is no shame in losing someone to suicide. Their lives deserve to be celebrated - they lived, they loved, and they weren't just a statistic. My dad was not a number. He was a son, husband, brother, friend, and a beautiful human who didn't see his own worth."

"I'd like to thank my husband Mat for his constant support and for his constant learning in a subject he finds alien. My children, who talk about the granddad they never met, remind me daily what my worth to them is. Michelle McKinley Bell, Sue Livett, and the Trust for giving me the opportunity to support the community and to honour my dad's memory. And to my team and the services that attended last year for their support."

The 'Let's Get Talking About Suicide' event brought together a diverse range of people, activities, and stories, all focused on breaking the silence around mental health. We'll share more about the day in an upcoming blog, so stay tuned! For now, you can visit our website to find out more about the magic of MAKE: https://www.aldingbournetrust.org/make 


Written by Lizzie Senn. For any media inquiries, please get in touch with [email protected]