Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Headway

18/09/2026

What a night. ❤️

I think I can safely say that this was my favourite Headway Ball to date!

On Friday 5 September, we brought our Annual Gala Dinner known affectionately as the Ball, to Leicester Racecourse, and what a night it was. We raised something in the region of £6,400 including Gift Aid, which is absolutely fantastic, and we are incredibly grateful to every single person who helped make that possible.

I’ll try to thank everyone in person, because there are simply too many people to fit into one Facebook post, but this really was a huge team effort.

A massive thank you to the wonderful team at Leicester Racecourse for being so friendly, helpful and accommodating – and for the genuinely delicious food! Thank you to Dylan Mathieson Dodd for keeping us all on track, guiding the evening through in perfect order and making sure everything ran to time.

A huge thank you to Ki2met for the brilliant entertainment, and for their generosity in supporting the evening, and to Richard Haworth for joining us for a very special guest performance.

Thank you to Irita Marriott Auctioneers and Valuers Ltd who did a fantastic job hosting our auction and, as ever, helping us raise even more money. To Oliver Boyden, thank you for inspiring the whole room by sharing your story and your experience of life with brain injury as a former jockey.

And thank you to Dave Woollatt for the brilliant photographs, all your help setting up and for capturing so much of the evening for us to remember.

A very special mention too to Jamini and Jessica for their wonderful Bollywood routine, dedicated to their dad. ❤️ It was such a lovely and very personal moment in the evening.

And then there are our families, friends, loved ones, volunteers and staff, the people who give their time, energy, enthusiasm and often a lot of behind-the-scenes graft to make the Ball happen. You know who you are, and we couldn't do it without you. Huge thanks to Affinity Law Limited and Nelsons Solicitors for all their ongoing support! And now for some of the prize givers which is where most of the £'s come form on the night - its' thank you to Asda Foundation Asda, All Wrapped Up & All Dressed Up, Lilypad Fine Arts, foxsfurrow, The Barnsdale Hotel, Leicester City Football Club, Roots at The Beeches CIC, Martin Goulty, Nikki McCathie and Lynne McConnachie!

To everyone who bought a ticket, donated a prize, sponsored something, gave up their time, brought a mate along, filled a table, bid in the auction, bought raffle tickets, shared our posts, talked about Headway, celebrated with us or simply came along and had a brilliant night - thank you.

You all helped make it what it was.

Because although the fundraising is incredibly important ,and £6,400 is a fantastic result, the Ball is about so much more than raising money.

It is about celebrating the year we've had.
It is about reflecting on the impact of the work we do.
It is about bringing people together.
It is about celebrating our members, our supporters and the incredible people we work alongside who are living with acquired brain injury.

And, quite frankly, it is also about giving our Headway members and the brilliant people we work with the chance to get dressed up, have a drink, dance, laugh, eat some lovely food and have a bloomin' great night out! 🥂💃🕺

So, to everyone I have tagged, everyone I've forgotten to tag, and everyone I can't even find on Facebook – you are all awesome.

Thank you for making the 2025 Headway Ball one to remember. ❤️

Now… who's ready for the next one? 😉(September 11th 2027 - SAVE THAT DATE)

15/09/2026

💚 We’re hiring! Could you be our next Community Outreach Worker?

At Headway Leicester, no two days are the same.

We’re looking for an enthusiastic, compassionate and dedicated Community Outreach Worker to join our experienced team, supporting adults living with acquired brain injuries across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

This is a role where what you do really matters. You’ll provide information, advice, guidance and practical support to people who may be navigating significant health, social and emotional challenges following brain injury, helping them find the right support, build confidence, increase independence and improve their wellbeing.

You’ll work alongside individuals, families and carers, as well as colleagues across health, social care and the voluntary sector.

We’re looking for someone who is:
💚 Person-centred and compassionate
💚 A confident communicator and relationship-builder
💚 Organised and able to work independently
💚 Comfortable working in the community and travelling across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland
💚 Motivated by making a genuine difference to people's lives

The role: Community Outreach Worker
📍 Leicester / community-based
⏰ 21 hours per week, with one day in the office
💷 £25,400–£28,500 per annum (FTE)
📅 Closing date: 30 September 2026

If you’re looking for a role with purpose, variety and the opportunity to make a real difference to people living with brain injury, we’d love to hear from you.

Find out more about the role, read the full job and person specifications and apply here:
headwayleicester.org.uk/about-us/opportunities/

Please share this post with anyone you think might be a great fit. 💚

Empowering, Emotional Employment Opportunites Community Outreach Worker 📍 Location: Leicester (On-site) 💷 Salary: £25,400 – £28,500 per annum (FTE) 💷 Flexible Working: 21 hours per week, One day In Office (Ideally Tuesday) 📅 Closing Date: 30 September 2026 About the Role We are looki...

04/09/2026

The countdown is on! 🥂✨

We are incredibly excited about our Annual Gala Dinner Leicester Racecourse; not only because it is the biggest fundraising night of the year for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Headway, but because it is the one night of the year when our staff, volunteers, members and wonderful community of supporters all come together to have a drink, break bread, dance, celebrate and all that jazz!

As ever, it takes a huge amount of support and a great many generous people, to make the night happen.

This year, a particular thank you goes to Ki2met, who will be making sure we have what promises to be a cracking night of music, and Affinity Law Limited, our event sponsor, whose support will help ensure that so many people affected by brain injury can be part of the evening.

And that's before we even mention the fundraising, the raffle, the silent auction and some rather brilliant prizes that have been donated along the way... 👀

Including one or two donations that we are particularly excited about watch this space!

We can't wait to welcome everyone, raise as much money as possible and, most importantly, celebrate the incredible community that makes Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland HeadwayLeicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Headway what it is.

See you on the dance floor! 💃🕺✨

08/08/2026

Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Headway members excellent entries into Evington Village Fete today! Lovely sunny community event with Lutterworth Town Band providing the music! Lots of other great charities here too, plant stalls and ice cream of course!

Thank you to Helen and Laura for co ordinating our artwork for the event!

27/06/2026

Looking forward to seeing you on this slightly cooler day at the Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Headway Summer Open Day from 10.30am–2.30pm at Headway House, 4 Hospital Close, Leicester.

Here's what's waiting for you:

🎨 Face Painting
🦆 Hook a Duck
🎳 Skittles
🌿 Garden Games
🍦 Ice Cream
🐴 Shetland Pony
🎟️ Tombola
✨ A sprinkling of general chaos!
💙 And, most importantly, a lovely chance to catch up with your Headway friends and family from across the years.

Everyone is welcome, so if you've ever been part of the Headway family, or would like to find out more; we'd love to see you.

P.S. Remember your sunscreen! ☀️
P.P.S. The garden really is looking special this year, with plenty of lovely outdoor seating to relax and chat.

See you soon! 💙

(Any questions phone 0116 2739763)

23/06/2026

🌞 Stay Heat Healthy and Aware 🌞

Hot weather can affect anyone, but older people, young children, and those with long-term health conditions are particularly vulnerable.

💧 Drink plenty of water and avoid excessive alcohol.
🏠 Keep your home cool by closing curtains and windows in sun-facing rooms.
☀️ Avoid direct sunlight between 11am and 3pm, and remember your hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen (SPF 30+).
🚶 If you need to be active outdoors, aim for the cooler parts of the day.

Most importantly, check in on older friends, family members, and neighbours—especially those living alone—to make sure they are staying cool, hydrated, and well.

Let's look out for each other and stay safe in the heat. ❤️

08/06/2026

💜 Carers Week 2026 💜

Carers are often the unsung heroes of brain injury recovery, well, actually, of society in general!

In Carers Week we wanted to find a way to support you, if we can, so we are hosting our very first Carers Connection Event this evening!

📅 Monday 8th June
⏰ 6.00pm – 7.30pm
📍 Headway House, 4 Hospital Close, Leicester, LE5 4WP

Join us for an evening of conversation, useful information, and a chance to enjoy some relaxing Art Therapy together. Our aim is to bring carers from across the community together (not just those caring for individuals with brain injury), helping to build supportive relationships and positive connections.

If you can't make it tonight, don't worry, we'd still love to hear from you. Get in touch to be added to our carers group mailing list and we'll make sure you're invited to future events.
And there is still time to register for tonight! To book your place or join the group for a later date, please email [email protected]

We look forward to welcoming you. 💜

02/06/2026

🌿 Volunteers' Week 🌿

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
— Margaret Mead

Our volunteers are at the heart of everything we do. From supporting our members, to working in the garden, to helping keep essential operations running behind the scenes, their time and dedication make a real difference every day.

A special thank you to Michael Condon for his invaluable support with our finance and IT systems, and to our student volunteers who will be sharing the benefits of volunteering The University of Leicester Staff Wellbeing Roadshow tomorrow.

💚 Thank you to every one of our volunteers. We couldn't do it without you - there's too many of you to name check, but go on I'll give it a whirl; Brian, Michael, Summer, Aleemah, Harry, Nigel, Helen, Ally, Michael, Enya, Raheema, Saranya, Chaitaanya, Keira, Jagdish, Malcolm, Emily, Helen, Brenda, Emma

19/05/2026

Get this - you can buy the Co Op's 'blooming' delicious bread AND raise money for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Headway Bloom After Brain Injury Project!! We've had £500 so far - which is fantastic and so appreciated with 1,186 Co Op Members choosing our cause so far - please keep up the good work everyone and if you've not chosen us yet see the link below and get 'doing'!

The project encourages people living with brain injury in activities such as gardening (including growing food), woodwork, art, and cooking, for their well-being and recovery.
https://membership.coop.co.uk/causes/97533

13/05/2026

If you can spare a minute today please nominate us for this grant from the wonderful people at Benefact Group £5,000 of unrestricted funding would make an incredible difference!

Huge thanks in advance!