Herald - Issue 419

17th February 2022 • The HERALD • Page 27 v INDEPENDENT, LOCAL AND PROUD v 0238001 4269 PRIVATE, COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL Live Life Your Way... • Clothing • Camping Kits and Tents • Walking Shoes and Boots • • Cool Boxes and Equipment • Open Monday to Saturday: 9.15am to 5.15pm • 023 8181 1008 www.nuibuoutdoors.co.uk • enquiries@nuibuoutdoors.co.uk PC PAINTING & DECORATING SERVICES Interior/Exterior Painting Decorating & Small Home Improvements Paul 07783 405977 Free Estimates ~ Fully Insured 30 years experience pcdecor8@gmail.com BEEN THERE, GOT THE T-SHIRT Charlotte is the Business Development Manager for Home-Start Hampshire. Seven years ago Charlotte’s family experienced a very challenging family breakdown. Sadly at the time she was unaware of Home-Start and the support the charity can o er to families to help them get through their tough times. Now working for Home-Start Hampshire, Charlotte aims to ensure every family has access to Home-Start support to prevent them from going through what she had to. Charlotte explains: “I could have done with Home-Start seven years ago but I had no idea the charity existed. I worry now about the many, many families who are in a tough spot today with little or no support. We can do so much for them. We can stand by them and enable them to overcome life’s challenges, but only if we know they are there. When my marriage broke up I was alone. With no family nearby I had little support. My anxiety was through the roof and I was desperately worried about my son and the impact our situation would have on him. I first came across Home-Start Hampshire when I saw a fundraising job advertised. As soon I read the advert I was transported back seven years to what a charity like this could have meant to me and my son. I did some research and saw the local impact Home-Start Hampshire had, and the amazing way it worked with families. It also appealed to me that there was a national body in Home-Start UK. Both nationally and locally, through supporting parents we are supporting children in those precious early years. When I was going through my divorce I took up art as therapy. By focusing on art it gave me a break from the situation I was in and helped to switch my attention, even if just for an hour or so. I entered one piece into a competition where it was highly commended and later sold in a gallery. That inspired me to continue to paint. I want to encourage more people to use art to help improve or manage their own emotional wellbeing. What you produce isn’t important, it’s just the fact you can switch off and have a break. Painting and drawing uses a part of your brain you don’t usually use. So when every family that needs us.” Take a look at Charlotte’s winning design and other charity items at: www.whitestuff.com/womens/tops- and-tees/white-mlt-home-start-just-keep-growing- tee. For support in your area visit: www.home- starthampshire.org.uk I came across the White Stuff competition I thought this was the perfect opportunity to raise funds and awareness for Home-Start, but also to share the value of creating and how it can make you feel. We shared it with the families we support, but when none came forward I decided to enter myself. My role is quite full on and sometimes you need to take a moment to recharge. After work one day I went into my garden with my watercolours and just started painting. I was really pleased with the end result and entered it into White Stuff charity t-shirt competition. My design featured an allium flower. I chose an allium because it is tall and beautiful, but it also needs support, like all of us. It’s exciting to be part of such a special project, but more than anything I hope it raises funds and awareness of Home-Start, so that we can be there for Charlotte proudly shows off her charity White Stuff t-shirt WATERSIDE WOMEN’S INSTITUTE A er over 40 years of meeting as an evening W.I, Waterside members have now started meeting as an a ernoon W.I. Meeting in Hythe & Dibden Community Centre, in Jones Lane car park, they meet at 1.30pm for 2 hours on the second Tuesday in the month . With a reduced membership this group of W.I friends intend to meet for friendship, to listen to interesting speakers and to practice new cra s. ey very much look forward to meeting new members with similar interests. Interested? Go along to see if the Waterside Women’s Institute is for you.