Christmas Week at The Gate

A couple of weeks we told you about what we were getting up to at The Gate this week. And, as promised, here are some of the photos from yesterday's Christmas Day!

We have actually had three Christmas dinners so far this week with another one happening in about two hours! It's been so much fun for the staff and best of all our clients have all had a brilliant time.

Hopefully this montage gives you a glimpse into the day. And if you want to see more then watch Look North this evening at 6.30pm on BBC1 and you'll be able to see video footage of the day and a feature on A Way Out.

This is the last blog of 2011! Thank you so much for following us and we hope that you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Love from A Way Out x

Give a Gift this Christmas

Have you seen the John Lewis Christmas TV Advert yet this year? If not, you really should check it out, it makes for good viewing. (The link to Youtube is here.)

At A Way Out, we love giving gifts to our clients. We know that it means so much for them and, unlike this video, many of them don't have cosy homes and families to go to where there will be an abundance of presents under the tree.

You'll remember that in our last blog, we told you about our plans for Christmas this year, to bring hope and love this year. Although we are doing everything that we told you about in that blog, we have not received the number of donations of gifts that we were expecting. This means that some people will be going without gifts this year. We really, really do not want this to happen!

If you think you could help us and make such a difference to the lives of at risk and vulnerable women and young people then there are a few ways you can do this:

1. Buy a gift for a woman, teenage girl or teenage boy and drop it off at The Gate, 1-2 Castlegate Quay, The Riverside, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1BZ

2. Donate directly to A Way Out via http://www.justgiving.com/Jessie-Jacobs0

3. Text 'LOVE92 £5' to give £5 which will use to buy a present for somebody.

Thank you so much for reading this.

Love from A Way Out x

We Wish You A Merry Christmas

I read on Twitter this morning:

"Do not be afraid" appears in the bible 366 times - once for every day of the year (including leap years!)*

At A Way Out we don't believe that anyone should need to fear for their lives, for their health, for their children, for their safety, for their future...

Especially as we are looking forward to Christmas these fears seem to come to the fore. Christmas is traditionally a time of hope, joy, peace and love but all too often this is not the case. We will be keeping our offices open across the festive period to make sure that there is always a place to go.

We are running a whole range of activities in the next couple weeks to make sure that this is a really special time for people, a time to celebrate and have fun. For a low-down on what our girls group is going to be doing you can have a read of our latest newsletter here.

Our preventions team are also busy planning the week before Christmas which will be crammed full of activities. It's shaping up to be a great week:

Monday- bag packing at Morrissons supermarket to raise awareness and funds for A Way Out.

Tuesday- a trip to see the musical Oliver! at the Arc, Stockton.

Wednesday- Giant Christmas movie afternoon

Thursday- Christmas party which includes food, grafitti workshops, arts and crafts, games, prizes and maybe even a visit from Santa!

We know that spending quality time with vulnerable and at risk women and young people is so important and A Way Out can make all the difference in a young person's life. These are some of the things our project workers have been told this week:

Hello, just sat here chilling a just want to say thank you 4 everything, just wanted to mgs u and let u no i look forward when we meet, thanks 4 everything  x x

I don't know where I would be in life now if it wasn't for you and all your hard work at away out! I really appreciate everything u have done for me and thanks for having confidence in me and in what I do and thanks so much for sending me the right way in life! You do so much for people most the time you don't relies you do it even the little things mean a lot to me so thank you so much just to say thanks xxxxxxxxx 

Thank you for working at away out and been there for me and my friends it means a lot to know we have people we can always talk too :) 

Wow. We're really excited about Christmas at the Gate. We'll be getting back to you to let you know how it's gone and to show you all the photos!

Love from A Way Out x

*tweet by @nickygumbel

How I Found A Way Out

This is the audio track mentioned on our last blog. It doesn't need much introduction, just give it a listen, it gives an amazing insight into the difference A Way Out can make to young peoples' lives, told by those who have experienced it first hand.

If you have been moved by hearing these stories and want to help make a difference then there are lots of ways to get involved. Visit our website to find out about volunteering, fundraising or giving.

Love from A Way Out x