PJ Junior ANNUAL REPORT 2025 Families Like Us trading as Juniors Play Centre Email address-. Tel: 07301082856 contactus@familieslikeus.org.uk 33 Campbell Street, Website: www.familieslikeus.org.uk Hamilton, ML3 6AS 6et ready lo PLAY
TABLE OF CONTENTS Overview Page 3 Looking Ahead Page 4 Timeline Page 5-12 New sponsorships and community partnerships Page 13 Board members Page14 Thanks Page 15
OVERVIEW Message from the Chalr Celebrating ten years of Juniors gave us time to reflect on how the charity has grown from the early conception of working with single and lone families in a small shop in Larkhall, into the current form we see today. Our mission to tackle child poverty for every child growing up in Scotland has seen us working to produce seNices for all families from all different backgrounds. The Juniors team has risen to the challenge and continues to make a positive impact in Hamillon and beyond. Responding to increasing demand on the service with limited funding has been no small task but as always, Juniors makes a little go a long way. It's a privilege to be part of an organisation that works tirelessly to improve the lives of families with small actions making huge differences. John McDonough, Chair Our Mlssion To remove feelings of isolation and loneliness for families with young children and to eradicate child povety in Scotland. We achieve this by offering a warm welcome to all families attending the play centre, creating community within the community by offering friendship and removing stigma and barriers to success by providing bespoke support services designed with families to build capacity and leave no one behind. Program Highlights Visitor numbers continue to increase as we greeted 23, 989 people through our doors in 2025.
Looking Ahead In our centenary year we have the benefit of hindsight to see how we have grown, but a chance to pause and think about what comes next. Coming from a small venue in Larkhall with a seating capacity of 21 people. small play area and a team of two, we have grown to our current location in ntral Hamilton with a seating capacity of 70+ visitors, large play area incorporating soft play. imagination play and structured play sessions, a bespoke sensory room and community larder and a staff team of 8 plus volunteers and visiting students. Our success can be attributed to our ability to react and respond to the needs of the families who use our seNices, offering wrap around whole family care and support when needed in a family friendly space. We've created a strong team of responsive practitioners that ensure every family feels welcomed, safe and included and can respond to challenges as they arise, giving parentslcare givers the tools they need, when they need them. From our humble beginnings we are now seen as a ntre of excellence for Early Years and Whole Family Support provision with a strong track record of making meaningful impact in the lives of children and families. This has resulted in many students studying a range of subjects including social work. health visitor, community education, early years. hospitality, choosing our centre to complete valuable industry experience and placements in. This year we want to expand our reach to deliver our unique style of whole family support across our communities. Thinking about all family members means we can offer a range of support services to a variety of age groups and needs including parenvcaregiver advice services within schools and nurseries, to enlrepreneurial workshops in high schools, to one off workshops teaching skills and tips including back to work programs, cookery skills or baby feeding groups. We will continue to work wilh all stake holders to design and deliver sessions and events that meet the needs of the families within our community. Lesley Robertson Chief Executive Offir October 2025
TIMELINE How do we know we are making an impact on the lives of children and families? By making space for families to tell us what they need, observing children to ensure their needs are met, reflecting on our practise to ensure we are offering the best service and by capturing magical moments as they happen. A picture says 8 thousand words, so here's a look back at another amazing year at Juniors. Our monthly newsletter sums up the month perfectly and is shared across our network of sponsors, partners and stakeholders. Spotlight on activitie5 at Junlofs Get reody to PLAY J•n 2(Y25 Welcome Happy New Year Massago Whylslt Ilz avJlable at Jun aAWktooViuts¢hAdtswlFDr
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SPONSORS, FUNDERS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP FUNDERS Scottish Children's Lottery SSE The Big Lottery The Robertson Trust The Volant Trust SPONSORS Cleanme JB Marketing Northwest Roofing Rocca Sainsburys Scotwaste Stewarts Scotland The Regus Business Centre COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS Hamilton Bid The Rocca Foundation Social SeNices Local primary, high schools and nurseries Liber8 Routes2Work South NHS Community Health and Social Care Partnership Community Links ARCH University West Of Scotland, South Lanarkshire College, Queen Margaret University, Glasgow Clyde College Local MSP'S Christina McKelvie & Monica Lennon REACH Autism Kear Campus PAMIS Women's Aid East Kilbride Sainsburys Hamilton, Asda Scotland Wide
BOARD MEMBERS Chair John McDonough Derek Robertson Treasurer Secretary Kelly Graham Trustees Diane McGhee, Rodderick Robertson, Stephen Mahon, Jacqui Blair, Megan Jones, Gregg Ross Charity Advisor Kenny Lane
THANKS The Families Like UslJuniors family wish to thank everyone involved for their continued support allowing us to best serve the families of Hamilton and the wider community. Without your help, support and time we would be unable to provide a lifeline to those most in need. To our board members, thank you for sticking with LSS through some nerve-wracking times and working tirelessly to ensure we have the funds neSSary to deliver our services. Your advice, time and patience are priceless. To our sponsors and funders who continue to understand our vision and come on this adventure with us by providing not only much needed financial support but also offering services to help us keep the building running smoothly, promoting our service, and buying our coffee and cookies range, you are our superheroes. To the staff team and volunteers who constantly offer a warm welcome, friendship and respect to every person who steps through Ihe doors and who always give 100¥0 to deliver our vision of a better fulure for families, we salute you! To our partnership organisations, your skills, talent and information are invaluable to us and our families we refer to your servi. Thank you for promoting us and referring families to our seNice as we share resources, information and lime with each other to best meet the needs of our community. And finally, to the families who continue to utilise Juniors Play Centre and all additional services, without you we would have no purpose orjoy. Your willingness to share your hardest and best days, your ideas for projects, your commitment to us as an organisation gives us the motivation to continue pushing forward to make Scotland the best place for children to grow and families to flourish. Thank you for being part of our community where no one is left behind. Families Like UslJuniors SC043484