Local Charity Calls For New Year Volunteers

Recruiting new mentors to support care leavers was a key priority when David Rutley, Macclesfield MP, met with the Sarah Sturmey, Chief Executive of Pure Insight.

The successful charity, Pure Insight, was founded in 2013 and delivers a package of support for 400 care experienced young people and 130 of their children. Their services are offered across five local authorities, including Cheshire East, expanding as a series of core and additional services that can be localised.

Not only does Pure Insight provide care support, it has also developed a mentoring project which recruits local people to become volunteer mentors to pair one to one with care leavers, forming lasting positive relationships. As part of the programme, mentors are provided with a 10 week training course, made up of one evening a week as a group of 15.  Once the training has been completed, the mentor pairings are matched based on geographical area and shared interests.

During the meeting, Ms Sturmey also highlighted the innovative work that Pure Insight has been doing to develop a nationally recognised mental health service, in which psychological wellbeing workers provide support on a weekly basis within individuals homes. Within Macclesfield, services such as a parent group and employment support are also on offer.

This Christmas, the team will be providing an amazing outreach offer to young people delivering a hot dinner, presents, a food hamper and most importantly some good company on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  This involves young people across Cheshire East, including Macclesfield. All 400 care leavers supported by Pure Insight have been gifted with a bag of presents and a new thick duvet.

Further information on the work Pure Insight does and how to become a mentor can be found via the following link:

https://www.pure-insight.org.uk/

Speaking after the meeting, David said, “The work Pure Insight is doing for care leavers is inspiring and I am pleased to hear that the work they do to tackle mental health challenges has been nationally recognised. Forming lasting positive relationships is critical for these individuals and I hope more local residents will become involved in Pure Insight’s successful mentoring programme.”

Pictured - David Rutley and Pure Insight CEO.