My Sisters' House CIO

We're sorry to say that Live Chat won't be available this evening 💬

❓ Can't shift that anxious feeling? Want to face the new year with more confidence❓
Our free 8-week face-to-face course could be the answer.

🌟 Anxiety and Me: Free course🌟
Starts Monday 8 January
12.30-2.30pm, Mondays, Littlehampton

We believe that the more you understand about anxiety, the more you're able to cope with it. With the right tools and support behind you, you could wave goodbye to anxiety levels that have been limiting your life.

Our FREE 8-week course is packed full of everything you need to know about understanding and controlling your anxiety.

There's no pressure to do anything you aren't comfortable with, and everyone in the group will understand exactly what you're facing. With our experienced and welcoming course leader Hannah, you're in good hands.

❓ Why not give it a go?
Course starts Monday 8 January for 8 weeks (except Monday 12 Feb)
Free and open to all women in the Arun and Chichester Districts.
➡️ Book your place now: email [email protected] or call 01243 697800

Unfortunately our Bognor drop-in won't be open today due to staff illness. Our Chichester drop-in is open 10-1pm 💜

It's and we've invited our amazing volunteers for a little end of year get together.

The work of volunteers is integral to our support for local women. From fundraising to making tea, sorting clothing to being the warm welcome a woman receives when she's at her lowest, every one of you makes a whole lot of difference.

Thank you so much for being part of our life changing, life saving work 💜

Could you nominate us for a chance to receive £1000 to help us continue our life changing, life saving work?

The lovely people at Benefact Group Movement for Good are running 12 Days of Giving and any charity nominated before 17 December is in with a chance!

Simply follow the link, and click on the big pink 'Nominate a charity for £1000' button
Nominate us now: https://buff.ly/49DzvbN

📣Unfortunately our Chichester hub will be closed on Saturday due to staff illness

🌟 Are you a member of the Co-op?
My Sisters' House CIO is part of the Local Community Fund, to find out more about our project and to choose us as your cause, click here https://buff.ly/3uCeSNd

🎄 Support your community while you shop this Christmas
If you’re member or customer, you can give the gift of community spirit this Christmas.
Donate to the Co-op Local Community Fund and they will match your donation, so causes like us will benefit! Find out more at https://buff.ly/3N6UWbI

📢 Bognor drop-ins closed this Thursday and Friday

Unfortunately due to staff illness and leave we are unable to open our Bognor drop-in sessions this week on Thursday (morning and afternoon) or Friday.

Our Chichester drop-in will be available on Thursday 5-7pm and Friday 10am - 1pm.

Last week our CEO Lucy Budge was delighted to attend the inaugural The David Hunt Trust award ceremony.

She said, "It was a really lovely event; very humbling to be in the presence of 33 other charities, who were also beneficiaries of the award.

"David Hunt himself is also a very inspiring, self-made man, who has known what it is like to have very little. It was also a lovely surprise that our award was slightly higher than we were expecting, at £4,500."

Today is - a day to engage men and boys to end violence against women and girls.

White Ribbon UK is encouraging individuals and organisations to make consistent choices and actions to for women and girls, so that they may live their lives free from the fear of violence.

That got us thinking about how we at MSH help women to they'd been told about themselves, helped then to about their future.

Has someone helped you change your story?
Are you a man working your hardest to be an ally for women?
Let us know ⬇️

Did you know?

We work with three amazing family law specialists in Bognor and Chichester who generously provide advice sessions for our clients.

In the past six months we've referred 72 women to these companies for advice and guidance on their next steps. It makes such a difference to receive clear advice from an understanding and empathetic professional at a time of great stress.

A huge thank you for everything you do for My Sisters' House and our clients:
🌟 Edward Cooke Family Law
🌟 Glanvilles Legal Services
🌟 Taylor Rose MW

💜

WE ARE OPEN FOR CLOTHING DONATIONS, in sizes Newborn up to 10-11 yrs - please read our post below....

We would welcome donations of clothes in good, clean condition in the following sizes:
# Newborn (also labelled as First Size/Up to 1 month) - all clothing, both girls and boys. We are particularly short of Newborn size pramsuits and coats.
# 6-9 months - t-shirts and tops, boys only
# 9-12 months - all clothing, boys only
# 12-18 months - all clothing, boys only
# 18-24 months - all clothing, both girls and boys (URGENT)
# 2-3 yrs - all clothing, both girls and boys
# 3-4 yrs - pyjamas, boys only
# 5-6 yrs - all clothing, both girls and boys
# 6-7 yrs - all clothing, both girls and boys (URGENT)
# 7-8 yrs - all clothing, boys only (URGENT)
# 8-9 yrs - all clothing, both girls and boys
# 10-11 yrs - all clothing, both girls and boys

We would also welcome donations of the following non-clothing items:
# Changing mats
# Baby board books (for under 2 years)
# Pencil cases
# Moses baskets - please make sure these are in excellent condition with no fraying to the handles. We do not accept used mattresses so we kindly ask you dispose of these before donating.

If you'd like to donate any items on our list, please send our page a direct message and we will provide your nearest drop off location.

Thank you everyone for your continued support! 😃

It isn't always a direct path to recovery.

There may be days that are darker. But the light will shine again on a different day.

My Sisters' House helps women to thrive, not just survive. We understand the journey and the challenge to get to a safe, happy and positive place.

We work with you to improve your welfare and wellbeing, reduce your risk of domestic abuse and support your recovery, and help you reach your goals for employment, education or training.

Our services are delivered by women, for women. With hubs in Bognor Regis and Chichester, we support self-identifying women across the Arun & Chichester Districts.

Visit www.mysistershouse.info

Another invitation to Christmas Dinner - this time from the lovely people at Creative Heart in Littlehampton.

If you’re on your own or in need this Christmas, we want to extend a very warm welcome to you at Creative Heart.
Please check out the Gofundme page
https://gofund.me/f09fb2d3
Donations will be split between Turning Tides & Creative Heart.

🏆 We're award winners!🎉

We are delighted that we were chosen for the Charity or Community Interest Company Award at the Arun Business Partnership Awards last Friday!

The award was collected by our Senior Fundraiser, Tash. She said 'I was very proud to be the one to accept the award on behalf of our whole team. This is an amazing way for our work to be recognised in the community.'

Our Thrive Live Positively course reached its final session this week, looking back at the goals set in week 1, and the next steps.

These beautiful vision boards were created by some of our clients during the session - a visual reminder that goals and dreams can be achieved.

Jules, who runs the courses, said, 'It has been a successful and enjoyable group. When the ladies shared their boards with us all today, we noticed a huge change in their confidence, and some lovely friendships have formed.'

Well done ladies, you should be very proud!

Could you nominate us for a chance to receive £1000 to help us continue our life changing, life saving work?

Simply follow the link, and click on the big pink 'Nominate a charity for £1000' button
Nominate us now: https://buff.ly/49DzvbN

📢 No drop-ins this Saturday in Chichester

Our Saturday drop-ins won't be running this weekend due to staff holidays.

🎄 There's no need to be on your own on Christmas day this year.

Several local groups invite you to join free or low-cost community meals on Christmas Day.

🌟 Christmas together - Free Christmas lunch
The Shore Community Church, 73 Victoria Drive, Bognor
Book by 14 December
[email protected]
01243 821891

🌟 Community Fundraisers - Free Christmas Lunch
The Newell Centre, Tozer Way, Chichester
Call Julie to reserve your place: 07803 314268

🌟 Arundel WI Lunch and Festivities - £5 inclusive
The Norfolk Centre, Mill Road, Arundel
Transport available
Call 01903 883469 for more information

📢 Be our Receptionist!
The deadline is fast approaching, but you've still got time to apply for our Receptionist role at the Bognor Hub.

Receptionist
£20,923 per annum
37.5 Hours per week
Monday to Friday (Start and finish times negotiable)
Fixed-term contract until 31 March 2025

🌟 Deadline: Thursday 16 November, 12 noon.🌟

Job description and how to apply are on our website: www.mysistershouse.info/vacancies

❤️Remembrance Sunday

Remembering those lost, and those left behind.

🕊️ And always hoping for peace.

❓ Left an abusive relationship and want to do the best for your children, but don't know how?
Domestic Abuse Recovering Together (DART)
⭐ Now taking bookings for our January courses ⭐

Don't miss out on this life-changing support.

Our DART courses can help you and your child recover following domestic abuse, and rebuild your relationship with each other.

We are the only organisation in West Sussex currently being funded to run this course and it is an amazing opportunity when support for families and children is hard to find.

ℹ️ Find out more
DART is a 10-week programme. You'll meet with a small group of women and children in the same situation as you, working together and separately to unravel the impact of abuse on your family.

Open to women who are no longer in an abusive environment, with children between 7-14 years.

We've got lots of information on our website: www.mysistershouse.info/dart

Contact us now for a chat to see if the DART programme could help you: [email protected]
01243 697800

🎄 Christmas at My Sisters' House: A message from Lucy Budge, CEO of My Sisters’ House 💜

"After careful consideration we have taken the difficult decision to scale back our Christmas Gifting event this year.

The number of women accessing our services continue to rise, our own time and resources are increasingly stretched, and this year our primary focus must be upon the families we have supported throughout the year and their ongoing need.

Our priority has to be ensuring My Sisters’ House continues to provide specialist and accessible support for women facing difficulty. We want to be here to support local women every way that we can, every day of the year.

We will still be supporting our current clients and their children with small gifts provided by the V2 Radio Toy Appeal, The Rotary Club, The Body Shop, Dunelm and other local companies that have also pledged their support.

However, we are not in a position to accept individual gift donations and will not be holding large gifting events this time.

This means that we won’t be asking the general public for gifts this year.

Instead we hope that you will be able to donate financially to help us continue our life changing, and life saving, work.

We understand that this decision may be disappointing for many of you, and it has not been taken lightly.

Thank you for your continued support, it means the world to us, and the women we support.
Lucy 💜 💜 💜 "

Due to continued flooding, we aren't able to staff the Chichester domestic abuse drop in tonight. The Bognor drop in is running as usual, 5pm-8pm.

Thank you to customers and Morrisons littlehampton community champion for these much-needed toiletries.

Amazing!💜

Thankyou to those of you that buy our grab bags .
Here’s a donation of toiletries going to My Sisters' House CIO 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

This week is Trustee's Week (6th – 10th November), celebrating the work and achievements of nearly one million charity trustees throughout the UK.

Our CEO Lucy Budge has a message for the amazing volunteers who make up our Trustees:

"Charity Trustees give considerable time, skills, experience and support voluntarily, to ensure that the organisation they are responsible for is sustainable and thriving.

Our six trustees come from a range of backgrounds and professional experience. This year, I have been particularly grateful for our trustees, who have supported me and My Sisters’ House, through a very tough year for the voluntary sector.

I have been grateful of their wisdom, skills and commitment in ensuring that MSH is able to move forwards and continue providing essential support to vulnerable women within our community. A CEO’s role can be a lonely one, and having supportive trustees makes an enormous difference!

Thank you, as ever, to Dianne, Louise, Stephanie, Heather, Sylvie and Kim."

📢 URGENT APPEAL: TOILETRIES NEEDED📢

We are dangerously short of toiletries for our emergency toiletries packs.

These packs afford women in crisis a measure of dignity when facing challenging times.

Whether a woman has fled from domestic abuse with nothing but the clothes they're wearing, or is simply struggling to make ends meet, these packs can make a huge difference.

We need NEW or UNUSED:
💜 Shampoo
💜 Conditioner
💜 Shower gel
💜 Body lotion
💜 Soap
💜 Facewash
💜 Deodorant
💜 Toothpaste
💜 Tooth brushes
💜 Period products

How to donate:

AMAZON WISHLIST: You can donate toiletries direct to our door: https://buff.ly/49jjSGg

Bognor Hub: 108bc London Road, Bognor PO21 1BD
9.30am - 4pm, Monday - Friday

Chichester Hub: 44 Bognor Road, Chichester PO19 7TG
Monday 9am – 2.30pm
Wednesday 9am – 5pm
Thursday 9am – 2.30pm and 5pm – 7pm
Friday 9am – 5pm
Saturday 10am – 1pm

Could you be the welcoming face of My Sisters' House?

Our wonderful receptionist is off on an adventure travelling to the other side of the world, which is amazing for her, but quite sad for the rest of us.

But .. this could be the start of a brilliant adventure for you if you're an experienced and organised receptionist with an interest in supporting vulnerable women.

Our receptionist is the face of My Sisters’ House and the first point of contact for existing and new clients. We’re seeking someone who is welcoming, warm, and calm while also having an efficient and effective approach to a busy and varied workload. Good communication and customer service skills are essential.

If you have at least one years’ experience in a similar role, we'd love to hear from you.
Find all the details online: https://buff.ly/49rNEZB

✂️ Craft Club✂️
Rag Wreath workshop:
12.30-2.30, Friday 10 November
The Bognor Makerspace, 58-60 Longford Road, Bognor Regis PO21 1AG

Who knew that scraps of fabric could look so good? Another simple but effective craft which results in a beautiful wreath for your front door or your bedroom wall. Choose your colours, then get cutting and tying!

Perfect timing for your Christmas decorations!

🌟 Craft Club is FREE, with all materials provided. 🌟
➡️ BOOK NOW: email [email protected]
Open to all women.
Upcoming Craft Club workshops:
17 November - Lucky Stars and Worry Dolls

💜 Sometimes you just need a positive sentence to get you back on track.

Women at this week's East European Wellbeing drop-in created these lovely affirmation jars.

After decorating their jars, the women filled them with handwritten affirmations, positive thoughts and special messages for each other.

A simple idea that can make all the difference.

Thank you for your support, which makes activities like this possible.

📢 URGENT APPEAL: TOILETRIES NEEDED📢

We are dangerously short of toiletries for our emergency toiletries packs.

These packs afford women in crisis a measure of dignity when facing challenging times.

Whether a woman has fled from domestic abuse with nothing but the clothes they're wearing, or is simply struggling to make ends meet, these packs can make a huge difference.

We need NEW or UNUSED:
💜 Shampoo
💜 Conditioner
💜 Shower gel
💜 Body lotion
💜 Soap
💜 Facewash
💜 Deodorant
💜 Toothpaste
💜 Tooth brushes
💜 Period products

How to donate:
Bognor: 108bc London Road, Bognor PO21 1BD
9.30am - 4pm, Monday - Friday

Chichester: 44 Bognor Road, Chichester PO19 7TG
Monday 9am – 2.30pm
Wednesday 9am – 5pm
Thursday 9am – 2.30pm and 5pm – 7pm
Friday 9am – 5pm
Saturday 10am – 1pm

AMAZON WISHLIST: You can also donate toiletries direct to our door: http://www.bit.ly/MSHwish

Did you know we have support for local Polish-speaking and Eastern European women?

It can be isolating and lonely when you live far from family, and hard to explain complex emotions and experiences in a different language.

At our Eastern European wellbeing sessions you will build friendships in a relaxed atmosphere over fun activities that help mindfulness, self-esteem and positive moods. Sessions are led by our lovely Wiola, who speaks Polish, Lithuanian and English.

💜 Wellbeing sessions for Eastern European women
Tuesdays 6pm - 8pm, 108bc London Road, Bognor PO21 1BD
Email [email protected] to book