Facts @ RUSH 2The DEN
RUSH 2THE DEN TOTS & ADULTS is a CIO charity. Registered Charity Number 1172562.
RUSH 2THE DEN Youth Club is a charity. Registered Charity Number 1175976.
How many volunteers does the group have in total?
We currently have 33 volunteers between Tots & Adults Charity and Youth Club Charity. This number includes Young Leaders and event volunteers.
Approximately, including children and adults, how many people benefit from your activities each year?
Quick Answer... approximately 6300 per year over the options we have available
This is a slightly skewed figure, as the whole family benefits from our input, even though only a few family members may partake.
Youth Clubs have regularly 140-160 young people attending Youth Clubs each week, their extended families also benefit from RUSH 2The DEN. Averaging out a family as 4/ family, and with those who dip in and out of the Youth Clubs on a periodic basis rather than regularly throughout the year, we are looking at an average of 800+
Tots & Adults last year (2023) had 2754 signed in children through normal tots sessions, Disco’s saw an average of 240 (average 60 children per disco, 4 disco’s per year). Christmas Grotto saw 126 children> with their adults accompanying will double the figures. Discos and special events may encourage additional children to those regularly attending. The difficulty with this is that we record total numbers, some of these children may visit us each week, on occasions more than once per week. Given all of these variables, with our average family of 4 scenario (as above) would be in excess of 5000 per year
Food Donations regularly see 12-15 people through the door daily just to collect food and not attend either club with children. Faces change throughout the month / year. It is unknown as to their family dynamics, most we talk to are single adults or with an additional adult in the household, or who have no fixed abode. Conservative estimate per year, given variables is 100+
We don’t record numbers for Swap Shop. We see familiar faces for both Youth Club and Tots and also those who for reasons we are unaware of are fresh faces. Average estimated monthly attendance is 60, new faces equate to approx.. 20-25%, therefore an estimate of 180 additional faces, with family dynamics (as above) for children’s numbers only 360+
Supervisions assisted 47 family members so far this year (and it’s only February)
Holiday Club usually sees Youth Club attendees.
Private Children’s Parties are not included in the above figures.
If you had to describe what the group does in one short sentence, what would you write?
This is the one I found the hardest to answer 😊 so please forgive me for it’s possible disjointedness.
"RUSH 2The DEN is a caring unique community venture, a children’s ‘Hub’ supporting the whole family by providing an adaptable, versatile, safe environment; where quality of life matters".
??? or ???
"RUSH 2The DEN supports children and their families with their everyday challenges"
Does the volunteers group have a structure and what is it?
There is a structure to each sector of RUSH 2The DEN. We have our exec for each charity, I am the only exec member with dual role within each.
Youth Club: part of the exec committee consists of a primary Leader for each Youth Club, leading each YC aged team, with Young Leaders from our 15:17’s assisting the younger aged YC leader teams, Freedom and Freedom Fliers. In effect : Primary Leader – Leaders - Young Leaders.
Tots: Our Tots exec in most part are “volunteer in charge” of each of the days. And additional volunteer(s) on most days assisting.
Swap Shop Volunteers work as a whole team getting the equipment out of storage, setting up, assisting attendees and then the onerous task of re-storing it all!
Children’s Parties / Weekend Hire, Food donations : That’s mainly River & Pumbaa with assistance from Meadow, Vixen & Jazz.
“River” our founder oversees all teams as Founder / Manager.
How do you manage the input and workload of volunteers? Is there a rota? Do some contribute more than others?
Youth Clubs have a team of volunteer leaders per age range. They assist alternative teams on occasion by stepping into a breach if someone is unwell/unable to attend or if we have an unusually high number in attendance as an additional adult leader for ratios. Each one doing their, few hours a week. Youth club events such as discos, camps, fundraisers a etc are also manned by our volunteers on a voluntary status.
Tots: Each tots volunteer has their set days. The ‘volunteer in charge’ is the all day person for the daily activity. These are supported by volunteers who assist part time. Usually mornings, although some arrive just for clear up, especially on harder days such as Messy Play. Their part time hours range from a couple of hours a week to a ½ day. Again Tots volunteers help each other out stepping in where needed if someone is unable to attend.
Everyone helps with giving food donations during their time at RUSH 2The DEN.
On occasion where I can not let a children’s party in, (each primary is a keyholder) keyholders volunteer their assistance when necessary.
Other than myself (first one in and last one out) we are fully flexible volunteering. We are fully aware that everyone has families and outside of RUSH 2The DEN commitments. Our volunteers are here because they want to be part of the team that supports our community, around their other commitments, at times available to them.
What are your procedures for electing and refreshing the governing body?
We hold an AGM for both charities to elect and refresh the governing bodies, we usually combine this with a fun day/ evening around the time of RUSH 2The DEN’s birthday (assists with attendance)