Due to Covid-19 restrictions, we unfortunately had to suspend services at both of our respite houses in March 2020. We’ve been closely monitoring Government guidelines and assessing when and how it’s safe to reopen the houses and welcome children back to Residential Breaks with us.

We are excited to resume our Residential Breaks across both houses, in Hampshire and Wales, from August. And in the meanwhile, we have been busy making a few alterations in readiness for our young carers’ return. Our Operations Team has shared an update on their current preparation work.

To remain connected with our children throughout the pandemic, we developed an innovative Wrap-Round service. Based on amazing feedback from parents and children, we’ve continued to evolve and expand our new suite of services, including face-to-face and online provisions. All services have all been designed to meet the complex needs of young carers, provide new and more flexible ways for children to engage with Honeypot on their own terms, and increase our beneficiary capacity. At the same time, they have been designed with the idea to complement our residential Respite Breaks, which still sit at the heart of what we do and form a core part of our Wrap-Round service going forward.

It’s no exaggeration to say that the last year has been one of the most challenging and busiest in our 25 year history of Honeypot. The feedback from children and parents about our online programme was overwhelmingly positive. But of course, they miss coming to the houses, and for many children, it’s the highlight of their year. It will be wonderful to see the children after so many months and enable them to share experiences with each other, enjoy space and countryside, and give them a much-needed break after a particularly stressful year.

Our top priority when we reopen will be the health and safety of the children who stay with us, their families and our staff. We’ve recently engaged a new Health & Safety partner with whom we’ll be working with closely to devise Covid-19 safe practices and protocols, compliant with all applicable government guidance.

While respite breaks resume in August, residential SEAL breaks will commence in September. At the Hampshire House, we are excited to be working again with our partner schools in planning our SEAL programme, with one SEAL break taking place every month from the start of the academic year.

We already have five schools booked in and we are in touch with several more – we expect that we’ll soon have schools booked in for every SEAL break scheduled until April 2022. In parallel, our house in Wales will build on their long record of success with single day Thrive-based SEAL interventions and will also commence a residential SEAL programme from the autumn term.

Throughout the lockdown, we have been investing in both Honeypot Houses to make them even more special for our guests when they re-join us. In Hampshire, we’ve completely refurbished the children’s bedrooms, replaced the heating system, installed new electrics and refurbished the bathrooms. We’ve also installed a magnificent new oak gazebo in the garden along with colourful signs and other outdoor decorations. In Wales, we’re installing a fantastic new kitchen, replacing all windows and redecorating (so the already beautiful house is in tip-top shape) and we have a brand-new minibus patiently waiting for its first ever passengers!

Pen y Bryn breakfast table (pre-pandemic). We can’t wait to lay the table again and welcome the children back.

Alongside all these planning activities, our Children’s Services Leaders are continuing to deliver between five and seven online creative workshops every week. Our new Wellbeing Fund has received very positive feedback and we can't wait to receive even more applications for small grants going forward. Through the fund, we are supporting children in purchasing essential and childhood-enabling items, so far these have included such things as a desk and fantastic pink chair for a child’s new bedroom, a bike, and dance lessons.

We would like to say a big thank you to all the children and families that have continued to utilize our wonderful online resources and have been signing up to our workshops – from baking, boxercise and dance classes to illustrated novel writing. More than anything, your engagement, resilience, support and enthusiasm is what has kept all of us at Honeypot smiling throughout this uniquely challenging time. We very much look forward to seeing you on a Residential Break with us soon.

Looking ahead, as we move towards a more open world and resume face to face services, we expect to further enhance and develop our online programme in parallel to our residential services, so that Honeypot remains available to our children throughout their childhood - wherever they are, whenever they wish.

Respite Breaks to resume from August