Our Campaign in Brief

We are Branch Up and we're raising £700 to run fantastic activity days for disadvantaged children in Southampton.

What is branch up?

Branch Up is part of Southampton Hub, a network of students from the University of Southampton who are fully embedded in the wider community with every singe student engaging in social and environmental issues for the betterment of the community. Branch Up's aim is to run activity days for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Each activity day is led by a student volunteer and mentor, who provide the children who take part with the best opportunities available to young people today, allowing them to be a part of new and exciting experiences that contribute towards their future.

Why branch up is so important!

Branch Up aims to raise the ambition and aspirations of local children from disadvantaged backgrounds, whilst promoting volunteering opportunities to students at the University of Southampton.

Children who come from disadvantaged circumstances are more likely to suffer emotional and behavioral problems that can have a life-long, negative effect on their future health and wellbeing. Branch Up offers these children the chance to experience activities such as pottery, baking, museum trips and zoo trips that give disadvantaged young children a chance to enjoy opportunities they may otherwise miss out on. These activities also provide a myriad of health, social and cultural benefits, whilst developing the soft skills which are so important in school, further education and employment.

Interacting with positive and motivated university students can build young people’s future aspirations. Research has shown that 80% of young people from disadvantaged neighborhoods live in close proximity to a highly selective university but only 1 in 25 will go on to attend such a university. In Southampton 55% of children under the age of five live in the 30% most deprived areas in the UK. 10 small areas of Southampton fall into 10% most deprived in England for income deprivation, affecting children, whilst less than a third of students in schools or colleges in Southampton go on to university.

Activity days plan to get the children out of their usual environment, experiencing new adventurous, cultural and educational activities, whilst creating a strong bond between them, their volunteer and the other children.

This year we will be able to put on two activity days during the 2014-15 academic year. But with the help of our supporters to this project we hope to increase the number of activity days to as many as three per term.

Where will your money go?

 We have great aspirations for what we hope to do with the support we receive from our project: from playing "Muggle Quidditch" on Southampton Common to a day out at the Zoo or a trip to Legoland. These are all things the kids might not be able to do without the help of Branch Up and without your help. Helping us to make our aspirations a reality will really make a difference.

The most important thing, however, is that funding will ensure that Branch Up can continue its good work far into the future. We aim to be a long term and sustainable project, working with as many children and volunteers as possible.

Here's exactly how your money can make a difference..

• Just £3 will pay for a child's lunch
• £5 will pay for an entrance ticket to a museum
• £7 will pay for one seat on a minibus
• £27 will pay for a child's ticket to Legoland
• £95 will pay for an activity day playing Quidditch for 20 kids
• £175 will cover DBS checks for 25 volunteers, to ensure the safety of the children.

What do you get in return?

As well as helping make a difference in the lives of both children and volunteers, we're offering personalized rewards for all donations over £10!

However, UoS students have the biggest reward possible: keep an eye out in The Week for any volunteering opportunities coming up with Branch Up or any of our other programmes or events.

Find us here

Want to be kept up to date? All donations will be reported on our Facebook Page, as well as all progress with Branch Up in general. We'll also post weekly updates in Southampton Hub's newsletter The Week (Click here! to subscribe) Southampton Hub also has a Twitter account so please feel free to subscribe, like and follow all of our social media accounts so you can keep up to date!

Got something to say? We're always happy to hear from our supporters! New ideas and feedback are a pleasure to receive, so please send on any thoughts you might have.

Help us succeed!

Like the project? Want to see Branch Up succeed and grow? Traditional philanthropy isn't the only way.

Here are some other things you can do to help us out:

Share this page on Facebook, Tweet it, in fact any social media coverage is fantastic news for us. What did we do before the internet, eh?

Struggling to think of what to get Grandma for her birthday? Donations are good presents, and if its for £10 or more, we'll even send her a card.

Do you know people who would feel for this cause? Drop them an email, phone call or text and let them know about us.