Home-Start Herefordshire is an independent charity that provides support and friendship to families with children aged 0-18 who are experiencing stress and challenges. They recruit and train volunteers to visit families at home, offering informal, friendly, and confidential support tailored to each family’s specific needs. Their services include signposting to additional help, practical support, and emotional guidance for issues such as parenting difficulties, bereavement, and domestic abuse.

With support from Ellie’s Constituency Fund, Home-Start Herefordshire continues its work helping families across the county, ensuring that the earliest years of a child’s life are stable, loving, and full of opportunity – making a lasting difference for the future.

 Vennture is an independent charity dedicated to helping people in difficult situations to make a fresh start. Committed to support the local community, Vennture works wherever help is needed – in homes, on the streets, in schools and prisons, or at their safe hub – providing hope, guidance, and practical support to empower individuals to overcome challenges and embrace new beginnings.

With support from Ellie’s Constituency Fund, Vennture is able to continue its work, training and equipping volunteers, supporting families in rural areas, providing emergency assistance to those in crisis, and delivering the ongoing Vennture Response in North Herefordshire.

Through these efforts, Vennture ensures local individuals and families can access essential help and build the foundations for a more positive future.

Ethos – The Living Room, Hereford provides essential support to the local community, offering a community larder, café, mental health support, refugee assistance, and help for people experiencing homelessness.

The centre remains a safe and inclusive environment where individuals can access support, connect with others, and rebuild confidence and wellbeing.

With support from Ellie’s Constituency Fund, Ethos repaired the flooring in the shower and washing area for the homeless at the back of the building. New flooring was required due to flood damage after a broken drain. 

Hope Centre Bromyard provides a welcoming community space designed to reduce social isolation and support wellbeing. With its outdoor sensory and community garden area, the centre offers opportunities for relaxation, socialisation, and connection with nature.

With support from Ellie’s Constituency Fund, the Hope Centre can continue offering these vital services, giving local families and individuals a safe, inclusive environment to take part in activities that promote mental health, friendship, and community engagement.

“We are very grateful to Ellie Chowns MP. Her Constituency Fund has allocated funding to Young Cart Shed, which will support 12 sessions of our youngest Young Cart Shed programe, Explore the Woods, for 10–13 year olds.”- Member of The Cart Shed charity

Explore the Woods responds to increasing anxiety and school absence among younger pupils — challenges worsened by the pandemic, social pressures, and wider global concerns. The Cart Shed’s unique approach combines qualified mental health support, creative making, connection with nature, and a welcoming, non-judgemental community.

As one participant beautifully said: “The Cart Shed soup is made of love.”

Close House Projects in Hereford is a non-profit organisation dedicated to helping young people aged 11 to 24 become mature, be helpful, and grow hungry for a full life. It provides a safe space for young people to access activities, groups, and services, offering opportunities to get creative and express themselves through Art and Music After School Workshops. The EPIC Volunteering Programme engages young people within the community. The centre aims to break the cycle of negative experiences and behaviours, helping young people find hope and aspiration. Close House Project operates a cafe drop in in Hereford city centre and youth centres in other areas within Hereford, with trained staff and volunteers to support the needs of young people.

With the help of Ellie’s Constituency Fund, Close House Projects was able to provide 4x Drop-in sessions – including food for everyone – for 100 young people.

Alternative provision for vulnerable children with complex social, emotional, and behavioral needs at Ledbury Primary School. The grant from Ellie’s Constituency Fund was used towards the purchase of shed making materials which the children helped construct.  This became the hub for activities such as woodworking, gardening, art and crafts and STEM activities. The “Nurture Group” uses the shed as its ongoing base.

“Our KITE sessions deliver accessible, inclusive activities to disabled young people aged 25 and under. The sessions facilitate friendship-building, hands-on learning experiences, physical activity, creativity, and skill development among the participants. The young people also get to have fun, whilst we provide essential respite to their families, helping to promote family resilience and prevention of reaching ‘crisis point’.”

‘Without funding from the Constituency Fund, we would not have been able to run this session, enabling disabled children and young adults to access an opportunity to take part in activities and socialise with each other. We are very grateful for the generosity shown to us by Ellie Chowns– Meg Chambers, session leader

‘My daughter was able to go somewhere to be with friends in a safe and accepting environment , to be confident to be herself without judgement.’ – Parent of an attendee

Wellington Play Area opened in August 2025 – a much needed and wished for facility for the village and surrounding parishes.  The aims of the project are to: help children get fresh air; strengthen muscles; reduce screen dependency; develop balance and co-ordination and give the community a new hub for interaction with each other.