Friends of the Family Winchester

Home
United Kingdom
Winchester
Friends of the Family Winchester

Supporting families to face their future with confidence. Friends of the Family covers Wi******er and its surrounding villages.

We offer families a range of support services and friendly guidance, to overcome challenges and turn their lives around.

24/06/2026

To acknowledge World Wellbeing Week, we spoke to some of our staff members to find out what they do to support their own personal wellbeing.

Here's what they said:
🌺 I love spending time in my garden, especially growing wildflowers. Gardening helps me slow down, connect with nature, and enjoy the simple pleasure of watching things grow.
🌊 Fresh air, exercise, and time outdoors help me recharge, and I also enjoy the occasional cold dip or wild swim.
🫂 Daily walks in the countryside, regular exercise, downtime, and time with family and friends help me stay balanced and refreshed.
🍃 Spending time in nature allows me to slow down, reset, and feel grounded, whether I’m enjoying the landscape, noticing small details, or observing the changing seasons.

Wellbeing Week reminds us that looking after our wellbeing doesn’t have to involve big changes. Sometimes the smallest and simplest things can make a big difference.

Let us know what you do to support your wellbeing in the comments 👇

The photos have generously been shared by our staff members.

21/06/2026

This Father’s Day, we’re celebrating all dads and father figures 💙

Being a dad can be very rewarding, but it can also come with challenges that can impact mental health and wellbeing. That’s why our support for dads counselling service is here to provide support, a listening ear, and a safe space to talk.

When dads are supported, children and families benefit too.

If you or a dad you know could benefit from support, get in touch to find out more about our support for dads counselling service, [email protected].

19/06/2026

Yesterday afternoon, one of our volunteer befrienders, Lorraine, took our 5s to 13s children and their befrienders on a guided walk around Wi******er 🚶🍃

The group enjoyed a scenic riverside route, starting at Abbey Gardens and following the river to Wolvesey Palace. Along the way, they passed Wi******er College and Jane Austen’s house, took a peek inside St Swithun’s Church, and returned through Kingsgate into the Cathedral’s Inner Close.

To make the walk even more engaging, the children completed a quiz prepared by Lorraine, which highlighted interesting facts about Wi******er’s history. As a trained Cathedral and Wi******er guide, Lorraine shared her knowledge of the local area with the children and volunteers throughout the afternoon.

Everyone had a wonderful afternoon, learning more about Wi******er’s heritage, while enjoying the sunshine 🌞 ******erHistory

11/06/2026

Did you know?

💛 The first 1001 days of life, from conception to age two, is a time of unique opportunity and vulnerability.
💛 Young children experience their world as an environment of relationships, and these relationships affect virtually all aspects of their development.
💛 Babies’ development is strongly influenced by their experiences of the world. These are shaped by their primary caregivers, usually their parents, and for this reason, parent-infant relationships are vitally important.
💛 Babies who have had good early relationships start school best equipped to be able to make friends and learn.
💛 Healthy relationships enable children to develop the capacities they need to participate in society and to lead happy and fulfilling lives.

By supporting parents, caregivers, and families, we help give every child the best possible start in life 💙 (Parent-Infant Foundation, 2026).

08/06/2026

It’s Infant Mental Health Awareness Week and this year’s theme is Attunement 💙

Attunement is the ability to tune in and connect with others on an emotional level. It is important for everyone, but especially for babies and their parents or carers (Parent-Infant Foundation, 2026).

Attuned relationships help babies and young children feel safe and loved. These relationships provide the foundation for positive infant mental health, emotional regulation, and healthy development. They also support parental wellbeing, helping families get off to the very best start in life.

Parenthood can be tough, especially when families face additional challenges. That’s why we offer support for mums and their young children, alongside counselling for mums and dads who are struggling and want to make positive changes for themselves and their families.

When parents are supported and relationships are strong, babies and young children develop, learn and flourish 🥰

03/06/2026

A big shout out to our wonderful volunteers for the generosity, dedication and time they so freely give to us 💙

All our projects rely on the goodwill of volunteers, and without them, we would not be able to help so many local families.

"A huge heartfelt thank you to our befriender for the wonderful hours you spend with our daughter every week. Our family is so incredibly grateful for your warmth and support - it has made such a difference."

Thank you for being incredible! ✨ ******er

02/06/2026

If you've ever thought about volunteering but not sure where to start, then join us this Friday for our Volunteer Open Morning 🤝

This is a relaxed and friendly chance for you to meet the team, find out what it's like to volunteer for us, and meet some likeminded people. You'll hear how a little of your time can make a difference to a local child and family 💙

Whether you’re ready to sign on the dotted line or simply want a bit more information, we'd love you to join us for some coffee and cake - no strings attached!

🕘 When: Friday 5 June, 9am-11am
📍 Where: Rick Stein, Wi******er

You can sign up via Eventbrite, or simply turn up on the day! bit.ly/4dHczMZ.

If you can’t make it, but would like to find out more information, please email us at [email protected]. ******er

01/06/2026

Let's celebrate 42 years of Volunteers’ Week in the UK! 🥳🎉

Our volunteers give so much to our charity, and without them we simply wouldn’t be able to do what we do. We want to thank each and every one of them for selflessly giving their time and generosity to help those most in need 💙 Because of our volunteers, we can continue offering support and guidance to local children and families as they overcome the challenges they face.

Between April 2025 and March 2026, our volunteers generously gave an incredible 1,998 hours to support the children and families we work with. This equates to approximately £25,000 worth of support each year 👏 Every hour given makes a real difference. ******er

29/05/2026

Last evening, our team attended The Cart & Horses monthly quiz! 🤩 Alongside putting our knowledge to the test, it was an enjoyable social event and a great opportunity to show our appreciation for being nominated as their chosen charity.

Sadly, we didn’t come out on top this time, but as you can see, we had a brilliant evening nonetheless 💙

Address

16 Colebrook Street
Wi******er
SO239LH

Telephone

+441962864466

Website

http://www.fotfwinchester.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Friends of the Family Winchester posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your organisation to be the top-listed Non Profit Organisation in Winchester?