Issue NC4 Christmas 2018
THE RIGHT RECIPE
CatZero protégé Tommy Pritchett looks toward a bright future ...
A festive Robin
Pleased as punch
Spruce-up
Dave Bertholini recommends our patron’s new book
Organisation leaders are over the moon with recent CLLD programmes
Our challenge yacht enjoys a spot of well-deserved TLC
Our news issues are kindly funded entirely by a private donation from the Hawerby Trust
DEAR FRIENDS ...
We believe! THE strength and success of CatZero is due, almost entirely, to the commitment and dedication of our team of people, who truly believe in the ethos of our charity. ‘Once CatZero, Always CatZero’ is a phrase that you will hear us all use many, many times – and this is something that we live by, not only in what we do, but how we do things. Sean Cahill, Pete Tighe and Sean ‘Bob’ Bobczuk have all been with the organisation from day one, and have experienced the challenges and opportunities that have come over that decade. As we wish everyone a very Happy Christmas and look forward to approaching our tenth birthday, we ask our dedicated trio what the last ten years have meant to them. Programme Manager, Sean Cahill Sean had a private sector background, but with longer working days and a young family, he wanted to make a change so he gave up his career. While volunteering with Humber Rescue, he met CatZero’s Director of Operations Dave Bertholini and the rest, as they say, is history! While the work he has done with CatZero over the last decade is far removed from his life in the private sector, the building blocks for success are similar. From working with young people and unemployed adults, Sean’s work has developed, and he is now engaged as project manager of the Grimsby Full Families Programme (you can read the latest on the programme on page 8). “We are always looking at what we can do better and how best we can expand our programmes and what we do. We are all in this to do the best job we can – if you are trying to deliver something, then make it a Rolls Royce!” he said.
L-R, Sean Cahill, Pete Tighe and Sean ‘Bob’ Bobczuk.
“The team that was put into place had the skills required to bring CatZero together, to deliver something that was very different and inspirational. With the yacht as our ‘floating classroom’ we were able to remove the barriers that traditional learning can sometimes present to people, which leads to underachievement,” explained Pete. As the organisation grew, so did its ability to provide on a wider and more strategic level. Pete said: “We continue to this day to grasp peoples’ enthusiasm. We have travelled so far in the work we have done and as our participants’ horizons have broadened, then so have ours.” Delivery Officer Sean ‘Bob’ Bobczuk Bob was at a crossroads in his own life when CatZero found him! A production line worker at Swift Caravans, when the recession hit the industry ten years ago, he was made redundant. With a cash flow issue, he found himself staying with his mum and at a loose end. A friend of his mum’s introduced him to walking where he met Dave and Pete. “I received a phone call to say they liked my attitude, even though I had never done anything like this before – in fact my previous jobs had been in a completely different environment. I must admit that in those early days, I did sometimes feel very out of my depth, but you then develop your own way,” remembers Bob.
Programme Manager, Pete Tighe
“We spend our time doing our job, helping to develop and improve people’s lives and skills and I believe CatZero has done that for me as well,” Bob finished.
Pete had worked in the public youth sector before joining former colleague Dave Bertholini at CatZero, initially on secondment for three years. Ten years on and he is a solid member of the team.
Sean, Pete and Bob would like to join all the CatZero team in wishing all our CatZero Friends a very Happy Christmas and great New Year. We will see you in 2019!
SEASONAL TREATS
A very special gift for Christmas THE perfect Christmas present – we have it for you in the form of a variety of sails on the iconic CatZero racing yacht. Named CatZero because the vessel is coded ‘Category Zero’, which means it can sail anywhere in the world in all conditions with no limits, the yacht offers a unique opportunity for individuals and groups on long or short sails. We offer gift certificates/vouchers for the following in 2019: Three-hour (1 May) taster sail or a day sail (5 June). Sail on board our ‘Dutch Dash’ (18-22 July), a fourday package from Hull to Amsterdam, which sees you navigate across 200-miles of the North Sea before arriving in Ljumuiden and spending time in Amsterdam. There are limited places available on the Fastnet race, which takes place from 1-8 August.
Email Suzanne at info@catzero.org for details.
A fascinating and historical read for the festive period THE new book written by CatZero patron Sir Robin Knox-Johnston has brought back some fond school day memories for our Director of Operations Dave Bertholini. “I will always remember reading one of Sir Robin’s first books at school, as one of our teachers was fanatical about sailing,” recalled Dave. In Sir Robin’s latest autobiography ‘Running Free’, the decorated sailor writes about how he made history in 1969, when he became the first man ever to circumnavigate the globe non-stop and single-handed. In the years since, he has enjoyed a vivid and varied life, which is detailed in the book, which references his close links with CatZero. Writing about the launch of the charity, he tells how our trustee chair Jim Dick partnered Dave and our Director of Sailing Danny Watson as the driving force behind CatZero.
Dave with Robin Knox-Johnston’s autobiography.
He writes: “CatZero is now an award-winning charity and in its tenth year, going from strength to strength. It has been identified nationally as demonstrating best practice in a number of areas. CatZero is an outstanding legacy of the Clipper Race programme.” Sir Robin remains as our patron today, alongside Alan Johnson.
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TEAM CATZERO THIS autumn, the CatZero team said farewell to dedicated colleague Paul Wise, who has retired. ‘A tireless professional, helpful co-worker and good friend’ – these are just some of the words that the team has used to sum up Paul.
TTFN!
Paul, a Move On officer, brought a wealth of experience, knowledge and skills to the role alongside his unfailing sense of humour and calm approach. Based in Hull, but also travelling the region from Grimsby to Goole and Beverley to Bridlington, he supported participants wherever they were. Paul will be missed in the office and the amazing
WHO would believe it! Yes, our very own Callum is 21! Many of you will recognise Callum Leach as Danny Watson’s trusted crewman aboard our CatZero yacht, a trainee sailor and assistant delivery officer. But you may not realise that, as a teenager, he joined us as a young man who lacked confidence – and had a dreadful fear of water! Back in 2015, Callum was 17 and faced an uncertain future. Living in a hostel in Hull, he admits that he only agreed to come on the programme to satisfy his support workers. “I was more than a bit wary at first and quite nervous. I was a person who liked doing my own thing and didn’t like socialising, so it was quite a challenge,” he said.
work he did ensures that he will not be forgotten. Indeed, what he achieved through his work at CatZero has contributed greatly to the ongoing success of the charity. It is not a final goodbye to Paul, however, as we are all looking forward to his return as a volunteer in 2019!
and I could not swim, and hated water so did not want to go. But Pete came to find me, and I am so glad he did,” said Callum. “The turning point for me was the one-toones during which I was able to offload my concerns and get the right advice. I then began to really enjoy my time on the programme. It was the sailing that helped me the most, although I recall being so nervous as we sailed out of Hull Marina,” he said. After successful completion, Callum found work while volunteering for CatZero. He said: “Volunteering more frequently, I was helping out on an increasing amount of sails. I realised that I was able to explain how everything worked to those onboard and talk about the work I was doing.”
After a wobble, he got back on board but only due to the determination of Programme Manager Pete Tighe.
Callum was the perfect fit when the charity required more support and he was offered a role within the team. His five-year plan now sees him determined to earn his place as a second skipper with the charity, with a tenyear aim to take part in the round-the-world Clipper race.
“It was the day when we were due to go to HOTA (the maritime training centre in Hull),
But he does have one admission to make: “I still really dislike the water,” he laughs!
TRUSTEE FOCUS
Delighted to be a part of the team ... Trustee Charles truly believes that you can see the change in people attending CatZero.
With a strong desire to ‘give back’ and a relatively young retiree at just 58, Charles had specific interests in charitable work with young people and health, he set about building a portfolio of work in this sector. CatZero has remained as one of those passions over its decade of life, and Charles is delighted to be an integral part of the team. “The true strength of our board is the business leadership that is contained within it, bringing with it the necessary governance. A charity, no matter how small, must be operated and governed in a business-like manner. If that does not happen, then the organisation will be in trouble,” explained Charles. “The Nolan principles of public life are embedded in us all as trustees of CatZero and that will remain the case,” he said. Over the years, Charles has remained with the organisation as he sees the true change that occurs in its participants.
A CHARITY is at its best when its team is supported by an effective board of trustees with a range of expertise in its make-up. Here at CatZero we are fortunate to have just that, ensuring that we have the checks and balances in place to run with strong governance. Our chairman, Jim Dick, has a wealth of experience and, as you will have read in the last newsletter, was one of the charity founders a decade ago. With the great business connections that Jim had across the Humber, he was able to secure the support of others to join our board, all with different but complementary skills. Charles Lewis joined us almost immediately and remains as our secretary and Chair of the Finance and Remuneration Committees. A chartered accountant with an extensive background in the profession, Charles was a respected member of the Ernst & Young partnership before his retirement in 2002.
“You can truly experience and see the change in people, and you can see the passion of every member of our team very, very clearly. At CatZero, things are done differently with an understanding of the complex issues that some people face, these are issues that are sometimes difficult to understand, but the staff here do understand and know the barriers,” said Charles. As an active trustee, Charles attends the celebration events that conclude the official programmes and is always delighted to see the faces of the participants. “You can see from the expressions on faces, and the words that are said, that this is real,” he said. As an accountant, Charles will always remember one thing: “When you look at the effectiveness of CatZero, there is no doubt that taxpayers’ money is being saved as participants do undergo lasting change which enables them to get back into employment, and far less reliant on the State,” he added.
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COMMUNITY LED LOCAL DEVELOPMENT
“The key to changing lives is confidence and belief.”
CATZERO has received praise for the speed in which it has established programmes that are delivering lasting personal change to unemployed people in Hull. The first two of four new programmes for the longterm unemployed have already been successfully completed, with the other two planned for early 2019. They are being funded as part of the city’s Community Led Local Development programme, (CLLD). Monies from the European Structural and Investment Funds was secured by the city to run the CLLD programme. At a presentation event for the first two programmes, held in the Minerva Masonic Hall, participants were joined by guests, including CatZero trustees and staff, participants’ friends and families, and representatives from Hull City Council, which co-ordinates and administers the CLLD grants, and from the Humber-Learning Consortium that supports organisations in the delivery of CLLD projects. Clive Darnell, Chair of the Local Action Group that oversees Hull’s Community Led Local Development programme, said: “It is great to see CLLD projects up and running and making a real difference to people’s lives in such a short space of time.”
One of the successful participants was young Hull woman Shantelle Glen, 21, who has now taken the first steps on her new career ladder. As a teenager, Shantelle spent three years at Wilberforce College gaining Level 2 and 3 qualifications in Health and Social Care before losing her way and not finding a job. However, following her successful CatZero change programme, she is now in work in the home care sector. “This would never have happened if I had not been on this course; it has been amazing in every way,” she said. The course combines confidence building activities alongside mock interviews, personal mentoring, action planning and teamwork and includes a sailing experience on CatZero’s 72ft Challenge yacht. There follows intensive ‘move-on’ support for weeks afterwards. Participant Matthew Elvin, 39, has been out of work since mid-June and is now hoping to use his new-found confidence and qualifications as his springboard to a new future. “This programme is going to improve the lives of
Successful CLLD groups enjoy their time on the popular Hull programme.
a lot of people. The self-esteem and confidence that is built, along with the help and support, is amazing,” said Matthew.
CatZero Programme Delivery Officer David Andrews with successful CLLD programme participants Matthew Elvin, left, and Jordan Scott.
During the event, programme leaders expressed their pride at what the individuals had achieved. With a total of 170 vocational and academic awards and qualifications gained, two participants have already secured employment with at least 10 more moving into training or further career experience. Congratulating the participants at the celebration event, CatZero Move On Officer, Paul Wise, said: “The key to changing your lives is confidence and belief, and you have that.” Colleague Fiona Daggett added: “You have achieved a lot and you should be extremely proud of what you have gained.” Programme leader Pete Tighe said: “Both teams have been fantastic, showing true enthusiasm and commitment and we are now looking forward to 2019 and our next two programmes.”
Trustee Charles Lewis with past participant and now CatZero Delivery Assistant and Sailing Trainee Callum Leach.
The two 2019 CLLD programmes are for residents in certain areas of the city, for full details and more information please email info@catzero.org. Find event and booking information, plus more details on the CLLD grant programme, at www.hlc-vol.org/clld.
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FULL FAMILIES
Melanie is ‘Onn’ board!
set of chances. This makes the individuals feel empowered that they have a part in something, and that they are a valuable part of the community,” added Melanie. As the project enters its second year, and with 54 families now being supported, Melanie wanted to highlight the wider benefits of the work, while also highlighting how it supported cash-strapped statutory organisations.
MP Melanie Onn with Sean Cahill.
THE LIVES of more than 50 families in some of Grimsby’s most challenging areas are being changed forever thanks to our Full Families project, which has just marked its first anniversary. Great Grimsby MP, Melanie Onn, visited our Grimsby offices in Freeman Street to hear how the charity’s involvement with the Full Families project has already surpassed its initial target for the first 12 months – and is well on course to helping more than 100 ‘families facing crisis’ over the course of its three year lifespan. Launched in association with fellow charitable organisation CPO (Creating Positive Opportunities), in November 2017, Full Families received £340,000 Big Lottery, Reaching Communities funding, which needs to be matched through fundraising and donations. The money is being used to deliver lasting personal change to families in North East Lincolnshire that face some of the most challenging issues, which include unemployment, mental health conditions, single parenting and issues linked to poverty and criminal activity. Melanie Onn has supported the project from the start and has visited one of the families on the programme. At a meeting with our project leader Sean Cahill, she said: “This is not about statistics and numbers where people are easily lost, it is about the individuals and working with the people. “Their lives are being improved, which in turn will provide the children within those families a better
Melanie continued: “It is far better to have active and engaged people as part of the overall community rather than simply recipients of services, which creates divisions within sets of communities. I don’t think that anyone really wants to feel that they are not part of something, part of a community. “There are pockets of really good practice here, but local authorities are stretched due to resources, which can bring with it a consistency issue which comes back to trust and building relationships. This is where Full Families is so crucial in the work it is doing,” she added. Sean Cahill manages the delivery team for the Full Families programme in Grimsby. His team of both CatZero and CPO staff work along with the local policing teams, North East Lincolnshire Council, the CCG, and the NSPCC. A growing number of business people and other organisations, including The Enrolled Freemen of Grimsby, are now supporting us too, as they recognise the long-term benefits of our work. Sean said: “The way in which all the relevant organisations are working together is to be applauded and this will continue as we work with a growing number of families. “Collaboration is key in everything that we do.”
Spooky activities on Grimsby’s East Marsh ... JOINING in with some Halloween holiday fun, as part of the Full Families programme, were members of Humberside Police’s Early Intervention Team, who are working across the East Marsh. Families were invited to The Hub at Freeman Street Market, Grimsby, which is owned by The Enrolled Freemen of Grimsby, to take part in activities together and enjoy healthy snacks. Sgt Mark Fletcher praised the close working relationships that were being formed between agencies in the area. His team meets with the Full Families team regularly, along with representatives from the Family First team based at the area’s Children’s Centre. “This level of partnership working is something that I have never seen before and is vital if we are to move forward and break down barriers that may exist. It is very positive,” he said.
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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
New opportunities ahead THREE years ago, Stephen Toyne was at a very low ebb in his life. A relationship breakdown saw the dad-of-one living back with his parents in Grimsby at the age of 35 and, after several years working in factories through an agency, he found himself unemployed. With anxiety issues, Stephen’s confidence dipped and with several job knock-backs, he was fast running out of options. “I felt I was going nowhere and when you are in that situation, you are in danger of getting dragged further down. It started to happen to me,” said Stephen. At the start of 2016, the new year brought a new opportunity for Stephen in the shape of a CatZero programme for unemployed adults that was running in North East Lincolnshire. Introduced to our team by his JobCentre work coach, Stephen never looked back. “From the moment I went to the presentation I knew I was interested in taking part. From activities such as attending a boxing club and sailing, to the academic qualifications you take, the opportunity is a great one,” he said. With his confidence now at a new high, Stephen applied for a position at the Job Centre, as a work coach himself. And, having just taken part in a mock interview as part of the CatZero programme, he felt well-equipped to deal with the situation. Coincidentally, this particular 2016 programme was funded by Jobcentre Plus. “I was much more confident, which was a result of the programme. I was also prepared to sell myself more,” recalled Stephen. Successful in getting the position as a work coach at Scunthorpe JobCentre Plus, Stephen is now assisting others to put their lives back on track. He has also moved to Scunthorpe and is looking at his future career path. “Yes, I have been where they are and as a result
Stephen stands at the doors of his local JobCentre Plus.
can be more realistic with clients. I see people who are competent, and it is about moving them forward at an appropriate step.” Would he then recommend CatZero to those who find themselves ‘lost’ today? “Yes, I certainly would. The support and advice given will help anyone come out of their shell and interact with others. Focus and preparation is also what is gained, along with having fun and learning, of course,” he added.
Beginning again with a blank canvas After art teacher Lucy Kelly became ill, her life was at rock bottom until she discovered CatZero ... FOR 55-YEAR-OLD Lucy Kelly, life took a very different turn when illness saw an end to her full time career in education. For 15 years Lucy was a busy art, DT and media teacher, working in secondary schools in both London and Cornwall. However, all that changed when illness saw Lucy lose her voice and she found herself looking towards an unknown future.
Above, Lucy with her artwork, and, below, she receives a congratulatory hug from our Move On officer Fiona Daggett.
“I had always been a very busy person, and losing my voice in this way led to many other things. I could not teach, and with that came a loss of confidence. When you find yourself in that situation, you don’t know how you are going to make a living again. My professional life at that time had gone,” said Lucy. With family, including her elderly mum, living in Hull, Lucy returned to the city of her birth in order to recuperate. Gardening and volunteering saw her up and about again, and she returned to the classroom only to find her health problems return. “I found myself unemployed, which was very hard, and I knew that I never wanted that to happen again,” she said. Almost 12 months ago, Lucy discovered CatZero, was accepted on our programme for the long-term unemployed and has never looked back. “CatZero completely opens your eyes to different possibilities and the potential you have, this is something you may never otherwise get to see,” added Lucy.
“The long sail at the end of the programme was a chance for me to completely re-evaluate what I was doing. If your life is as bad as it’s going to get, being part of CatZero will help you climb out. It stops you feeling sorry for yourself and builds confidence and healing. Go for it and go for the change!” And climb out Lucy certainly did! While she has returned to part-time teaching, the talented artist is now creating her own pieces, which are being exhibited until December 14 at the Queens House Showcase, in Hull’s Paragon Street. They can be viewed and are for sale from Wednesday to Friday, between 11am and 4pm.
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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Worth its weight in gold IF YOU want just the right recipes for your festive meals this Christmas, there is one former CatZero participant who can offer you some really good tips! Having just returned from working in London, 23-year-old Tommy Pritchett is back in his home town of Grimsby where he hopes to further his catering career. Over the last four years, Tommy has progressed into an accomplished chef and kitchen manager – so, of course he knows just how he likes his Christmas fayre, and he has some essential advice! “My top tip is certainly ‘don’t stress’,” said Tommy. “You can cook all the veg off the day before and reheat, it will taste just as good. And, when it comes to the turkey, just remember to keep basting every half-an-hour to get that skin just right, and as much salt and pepper as you like, it will be delicious,” he added. Confident and enthusiastic, Tommy is clearly looking forward to the next stage in his career. But, as he freely admits, this was not always the case and the pre-CatZero Tommy was a very different person. “Before CatZero I was probably one of the grumpiest people you could meet. I would moan at everyone and was very reluctant to let people into my life,” he remembers. A former Grimsby Institute student, Tommy had studied bricklaying for three years – but the jobs were not in abundance and his heart had not really been in it. “I had always loved to cook but could not return to education in Grimsby as had completed the threeyear course earlier, so I ended up looking for work,” he said. Noticing a leaflet for CatZero’s programme for the unemployed, he made contact with the team in Grimsby – and has not looked back! “I knew as soon as I went on the intro day that this was for me. The programme was full of highs, with
Chef Tommy Pritchett hopes to further his career.
no lows at all. It gave me such confidence, it if wasn’t for the team here I would not be in the position I am today,” he said. “The whole experience opened my eyes to the possibilities I had and the team was like a family. And as for the sail, it was worth its weight in gold – with challenges I could overcome.” For Tommy, it was the regular programme café day that was a true turning point for him. Held in the Courtyard Café in Freeman Street Market, Tommy was working with the venue’s then owner Matthew Stephenson and an apprenticeship was the result. Two years later Tommy had his NVQ qualifications and set about job-seeking. Spotting the job at Amersham’s White Lion, he offered to travel there for a week on a work trial. “I started as a chef, before being moved on to the kitchen manager. I now know that I can go even further in the industry and I have CatZero to thank for that,” added Tommy.
WINTER REFIT
‘Pamper sesh’ BRIEFLY out of the water for a winter refit, our iconic 72ft CatZero challenge yacht is now ready for a busy 2019 season as we mark our tenth anniversary. The 72ft, 45-tonne racing vessel, complete with its 95ft mast, has spent time in Hull’s boat yard. For the boat ‘techies’ out there, here’s what happened: The Sacrificial Anodes were checked and replaced. The Prop Shaft and propeller have been fully inspected. A surveyor made a full assessment of the hull. The yacht bottom has been scraped, with new anti-foul paint put on.
Sailing trainee Callum Leach climbs the scaffold, right.
With some programme sails between now and February, the boat is due out of the water again in early 2019 for essential work to the rigging, which has been supported by an £18,000 grant from the Trusthouse Charitable Foundation. CatZero’s Danny Watson and Dave Bertholini thanked ARCO for supplying all the appropriate safety gear to allow the recent onshore works to be carried out, along with B&A Scaffolding for supplying the ‘half tower’. They also said a big thanks to all volunteers engaged in the winter task.
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PROGRAMMES
New challenges for participants
TWO programmes currently under way are delivering lasting personal change to participants whose lives are at very different stages. Proving the CatZero team’s ability to mould their work to the needs of a range of individuals, the charity is currently working with lone parents and service veterans. In the case of the parents, the course, which is
supported by the European Social Fund, has been varied to complement school and childcare hours. Meanwhile, the Veterans’ Programme, which is supported by ABF The Soldiers’ Charity and JobCentre Plus, takes into account the specific needs often associated with individuals who have left the Forces. Pete Tighe is managing both programmes. Speaking about the veterans, he said: “We have 12 people, aged from 30 into their 50s, engaged on what is our first programme specifically for exmilitary personnel. “All of them, while currently unemployed for a variety of reasons, are honest and extremely willing. Of course, there are many, many veterans who come back into society with no problems at all, however there are some who will have problems adapting and may struggle to understand how the skills they have will fit in with normal working practices.” Their programme includes practical, vocational and academic experience, CV writing, mock interview techniques, the sail and visits to industries. The Lone Parents group has also proved to be a real success so far, with the recruits including young single mums and dads.
The Veterans’ Programme includes practical, vocational and academic experiences.
Pete added: “They are giving 100 per cent and it is a great atmosphere.”
Above, single mums and dads enjoy trying new activities and spending time with other parents in a similar position. Below, service veterans make a splash with CatZero’s Veterans’ Programme.
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A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all at
2B Humber Street Hull HU1 1TG Info: (01482) 333303
The Business and Digital Hub Freeman Street Market Grimsby DN32 7DS
CatZero’s O-Zone magazine is written and produced by Southbank PR, Grimsby. Copyright 2018