Hope Support Services celebrated 10 years in style on Saturday, January 25th with a big party. Local dignitaries and key supporters were ‘taken back’ to 2010, then brought forward again through all Hope’s key memories and achievements.  

Ever since 2010, the charity has been providing support to young people when their loved ones have been diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses. The charity has offered one-to-ones, trips, activities and group sessions for the young people from the point of the diagnosis and for however long support is needed. 

Much of this support involves young leaders; people of a similar age to those being supported who have also been through a family health crisis. These young people are able to connect with the service users in a unique way as they understand exactly what the person is going through. All peer support is done in a safe environment, monitored by professionals, who are always on hand in case any specific issues come up which the young person needs support for. 

Young people are not only involved with Hope on a support side but also, as was showcased on Saturday, on an organisational side. The presentations created by Hope’s brilliant Advisory Group and Youth Management Team showed just how many major decisions they had taken part in making, from key design choices for the new app the charity is developing, to new ways to fundraise and bring in donations.