Volunteer Day: ‘Your loyalty to listening is what makes our Wrens feel safe’
The hard work of the Wren Project volunteers was honoured this weekend in a celebration of their ‘loyalty to listening.’
Coming together for a day centred around active listening, shared experience and role play, Kate Middleton, CEO of the Wren Project, championed the volunteers’ dedication to making individuals “feel safe.”
”You listen to people who feel ignored and silenced most of the time,” Kate told the group.
”You make no assumptions of how people are meant to feel. I think your loyalty to listening is what makes speaking to a Wren Project volunteer feel safe,” she explained.
”By doing these two things: by listening and turning up, I think we can make our Wrens feel more human.”
She continued: “This community of 6 million people, which I am a part of, is a bit damaged and bit broken. But by showing up and really listening, you make people feel more human again and that is powerful.”
Volunteers, who joined us in central London from across the UK, then explored the question of ‘how are you?’ in a thoughtful activity devised by Laura Rees, of the How Are You Project.
Our volunteers, who speak to individuals living with the complexities of autoimmune diseases via phone of video call, were then giving the opportunity to hear directly from Wrens in a panel discussion.
Sharing their individual experiences of the route to diagnosis and the unpredictability of living with an incurable disease, Wrens talked about the impact listening sessions had on their mental health.
Volunteers also reflected on their training to become Listening Volunteers and their ongoing work in sessions. They were then encouraged to share their experience of the Project on a display board.
”The Wren Project has enabled me to develop my listening skills,” wrote one. “I am so much more a better version of myself.”
”It’s been amazing really,” said another. “The training was so supportive and it feels like there is so much space for everyone.”
Our next Volunteer Day will run later in the year, with all of volunteers invited to join us.
If you would like to train to become a Listening Volunteer for the Wren Project and support people in distress with autoimmune disease, we would love to hear from you.
‘I’ve experienced the emotional side of an autoimmune disease diagnosis:’ London Marathon 2024 runner Will on running for Wren
London Marathon 2024 runner Will Pearson says he decided to fundraise for the Wren Project after “experiencing the emotional side of an autoimmune disease” diagnosis.
Will, who completed the epic 26.2 mile course on Sunday, April 21, said watching his mother receive a number of autoimmune disease diagnoses inspired him to fundraise for us.
”My mum is an amazing woman and she has a number of autoimmune diseases,” he told Wren.
”There are certain things she can’t do because of them; she gets really tired and can be in a lot of pain, but she just gets on with it.”
Despite not running regularly, Will said he was inspired to take on the challenge and fundraise for the Wren Project as he “loved the concept.”
”When I surprised my mum [with the news] that I was running the London Marathon, she was over the moon,” he told us.
”She said ‘it’s so nice that someone cares about what I’m going through on a daily basis.’”
Will, who admits he didn’t have ‘much of a training plan’ ahead of race day on April 21st, said he surprised himself on the day as he “never thought he could actually run a marathon.”
”I really only applied to get a place because my friends did - I never actually expected to get one,” he admitted. “I got arthritis in my feet when I was 14, and I [often suffer] with shin splints.
”I [started training] and doing a few half marathons. [On marathon day], I loved the first half, but shortly after seeing my mum and my girlfriend in the crowd it went downhill.
“I was in a lot of pain, but a lot of it was mental,” he explained.
Will has so far raised over £1k for the Wren Project. We are so proud of you Will! Thank you so much for choosing to fundraise for us.
Are you inspired by Will and the other London Marathon runners? If you would like to fundraise for the Wren Project by signing up to a marathon, a sponsored walk, a coffee morning or something else - we would love to hear from you! Drop us a line here and tell us how you would like to support us with your fundraising opportunity.
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We are hiring! Join the Wren Project
PLEASE NOTE: APPLICATIONS FOR THIS ROLE HAVE NOW CLOSED.
We are hiring! Join the Wren Project at an exciting time of expansion and change. As a small charity dedicated to supporting people living with the complexities of an autoimmune disease diagnosis, we are looking for a new team member to help us continue to spread Wren’s message of support.
Employee job title:
Recruitment Officer
Reporting to:
Communications Manager
Working pattern:
2 days a week, flexible hours across the week
Location:
Flexible. We have a London office but this role can be fully remote.
Contract:
Permanent, 3 month probation period
Role purpose
As we continue our mission to provide personalised, emotional support for people living with autoimmune diseases, we are hiring a Recruitment Officer to join our team. As a volunteer-led organisation, this person will be proactive in building relationships with groups across the UK, furthering the Wren Project's reach and awareness in appropriate networks. We expect this person to physically attend events, be proactive on the phone calling partners, hospitals, universities etc. and develop new relationships; ultimately holding the responsibility for driving a consistent rate of referrals in both people finding us for support and in growing our volunteer community. At a time of exciting change and challenge within our charity, this person will relish the opportunity of increasing the diversity of those we support and our volunteer base. Managed by our Communications Manager, work will centre around implementing the recruitment strategy devised by our Operations and Communications teams.
Duties and responsibilities
● Raising awareness of the support we provide
The Wren Project supports people living with autoimmune diseases (we call the people we support 'Wrens.'). Our referrals come from a number of sources, but this can be unsteady. This person will be responsible for developing a more consistent approach that will result in a steady increase of diverse Wrens referring to us from across the UK.
What you'll be doing:
o Develop relationships with pre existing partners of the Wren Project, including GP’s, hospitals, autoimmune patient organisations, universities etc.
o Create new relationships across the UK, spreading our name and service to areas we are not yet known. This could be done through cold calling, attending events, delivering talks, social media etc.
o Be responsible for identifying the diversity of our current Wrens, delivering a plan on how to improve Wren referral; and providing stats on where people are discovering us
o Lead on the creation of new materials that might help attract new referrals; including supporting the Communications Manager on the production of materials such as media packs, press releases etc.
o Work closely with the Operations team to monitor Wren referrals; suitability, diversity and how we can continue to improve.
● Volunteer Recruitment
This person will work with the Operations and Communications team to deliver the volunteer recruitment strategy that will move us to receive a consistent and steady rate of diverse volunteers to the Project. This person will be proactive in developing relationships with universities, corporates, social media groups, helping us to become the place of choice for volunteers.
What you'll be doing:
o Develop relationships with pre existing partners of the Wren Project, including corporates, universities, volunteer sites etc.
o Create new relationships across the UK, spreading our name to areas we are not yet known where we might attract volunteers. This could be done through cold calling, attending events, delivering talks, social media etc.
o Responsible for identifying the diversity of our current volunteers and delivering a plan on how to improve volunteer referral diversity
o Lead on the creation of new materials that might help attract new referrals, including a media pack. Create short video clips/ interviews on what it is like to volunteer for the Wren Project. Develop the volunteer page on our website, helping to attract more volunteer applicants to our service
o Coordinate with the operations team on the number, suitability and diversity of referrals with an eye on improving all three.
● Social Media
This person will support the Communications Manager with social media content. This person will be proficient in tools such as Canva, Photoshop and use of a CMS system.
What you'll be doing:
o Led by the Communications Manager, create and publish daily content that is consistent branding and messaging and engages our followers; work on upcoming campaigns, planning and scheduling; work on website content as needed
o Work for the Communications Manager to monitor engagement and activity of followers across platforms. Monitor newsletter audience, engagement and updates.
Experience/Skills
Willing to work in a small and hard-working team and a proven track record in driving recruitment in specific target groups. Efficient, highly committed, and reliable. Exceptional organisational skills. Able to work at a high pace whilst maintaining a strong attention to detail and quality. Proactive with the ability to prioritise effectively. Ability to manage a high-volume workload effectively. Ability to use a database and confidence using technology. Proficient in Canva, Photoshop and CMS systems.
To Apply
Closing date for applications: 3rd April 2024. Interviews will take place in early April.
To apply, please send the following 4 documents to kim@wrenproject.org:
1. Your CV
2. A paragraph of no more than 250 words explaining why you are suitable for the role;
3. A reference that we can contact;
4. As part of the interview process, we require you to complete the below task and submit your response alongside your application. This task should be between 250-500 words.
This role requires the chosen applicant to target and recruit volunteers to join the Wren Project, where they will receive expert training to become a Listening Volunteer. As part of your task, we ask that you identify one space in which to target potential volunteers. Then, talk through your strategy to inspire this target group to volunteer.
Consider:
- How you would detail the opportunity available at the Wren Project;
- How you would attract this group of people;
- Why you believe this space is a good opportunity to canvas for volunteers.
Run the Hackney Half 2024 for the Wren Project
Take on the Hackney Half Marathon 2024 for the Wren Project!
Join #TeamWren and fundraise for us by running the infamous route around some of East London’s iconic landmarks and parks.
We have FIVE spaces available for our fundraisers. To take up a spot, all you need to do is register here.
We ask for fundraisers to pledge to raise at least £250 for the Wren Project. We will champion your fundraising efforts and love to support our fundraisers every step of the way.
We will also supply you with a Wren Project running vest for the big day itself!
Simply click on the link below and race the Hackney Half Marathon 2024 for the Wren Project!
- I WANT TO RACE THE HACKNEY HALF FOR THE WREN PROJECT -
Patients’ ‘lived experiences’ should be more greatly valued, says study
A new study has today revealed that patients’ ‘lived experiences’ should be more greatly valued on the journey to diagnosis.
The research, led by a team at the University of Cambridge, Kings’ College London and co-authored by the Wren Project founder Kate Middleton, has shown that clinicians ‘under-valued’ patient self-assessments in diagnostic decision-making.
In a study published today in Rheumatology, researchers used neuropsychiatric lupus - an incurable autoimmune disease that is challenging to diagnose - as an example to examine the different value given by clinicians to 13 different types of evidence used in diagnoses. This included evidence such as brain scans, patient views, and the observations of family and friends.
When considering a patient’s own self-assessment, the study found that fewer than 4% of clinicians ranked this in the top three types of evidence. Clinicians ranked their own assessments as the highest.
One patient recalled the common feeling of being disbelieved as “degrading and dehumanising.”
“If I had continued to have regard for clinicians’ expertise over mine, I would be dead,” the patient reported.
"When I enter a medical appointment and my body is being treated as if I don’t have any authority over it and what I’m feeling isn’t valid, then that is a very unsafe environment. I’ll tell them my symptoms and they’ll tell me that symptom is wrong, or I can’t feel pain there, or in that way.”
Speaking about the study, the Wren Project founder Kate Middleton said: “I hope this research helps to bring about improvements in the relationships between patients and their doctors based more on mutual respect and active listening.
“The patient voice is the most effective and accurate tool for diagnosing and assessing symptoms. I hope people’s voices are valued as much as we value them at the Wren Project. “
Lead author of the study, Dr Melanie Sloan from the Department of Public Health and Primary Care at the University of Cambridge, said: “It’s incredibly important that we listen to and value patients’ insights and their own interpretations of their symptoms, particularly those with long-standing diseases – after all, they are the people that know what it is like to live with their condition.
"But we also need to make sure that clinicians have the time to fully explore each patient’s symptoms, something that is challenging within the constraints of current health systems.”
You can read the full report here.
The Wren Project joins Big Give 2023: Doubling donations, for double the impact
We have some very exciting news to share with you all!
The Wren Project is taking part in this year’s Big Give 2023 - doubling your donations, thus doubling our impact for ONE WEEK ONLY.
We are committed to reducing the loneliness felt by people living in crisis as a result of their autoimmune disease, particularly over Christmas time.
Which is why we are delighted to be joining Big Give’s Christmas Campaign 2023 - giving us the opportunity to double our impact by doubling your donations.
Thanks to their match-funding promise, every donation made to the Wren Project between Tuesday, November 28 and Tuesday, December 5, 2023 will be doubled by Big Give - enabling us to grow our support to reach more people living with autoimmune disease.
Our goal is to raise £10,000, which with the Big Give’s match funding promise, will transform to £20,000 for the Wren Project. This sum will dramatically shape the impact we can make on the lives of people living with autoimmune disease.
To celebrate this opportunity, we have pulled together our ‘Supportive Christmas Gift Guide’ - an alternative feel-good guide to giving this Christmas.
We’ll be unveiling our Christmas ‘gift’ guide next week. But the premise is simple: select a charitable ‘gift’ from our gift guide and Big Give will match-fund your donation, doubling the impact you can make in supporting someone with a chronic condition.
Just £23.80 from you will be boosted to £47.60* by them, enabling us to train and support more volunteers, who offer our Wrens regular, empathetic listening sessions. With £41.25*, they’ll bump it up to £82.50*, which keeps our phone lines open for two weeks, increasing our availability to people in distress.
There are plenty of feel good gifts available to choose from; with £227* supporting someone in distress with their autoimmune disease for a month. While £59.13* ensures a trained member of our staff answers a call for help and £1,363* supports a Wren’s journey with us for six months.
* Each of these donations will be doubled by the Big Give, at no extra cost to you.
But here is the challenge: We have just seven days to make a real difference to our Wrens.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
1. On Tuesday, November, 28th, we will send you an email letting you know that our Big Give campaign is live and where you can make a donation.
2. From 12pm, you will be able to select a gift from our gift guide, with the money you spend being doubled by them.
3. Share it with your friends, colleagues and on your social media channels to help get our appeal heard far and wide.
4. On Tuesday, December 5, at 12pm, our Big Give Campaign will close. We have just seven days to raise £10K, for the Big Give to match-fund this to £20k.
We are the only charity in the UK to offer support for all autoimmune diseases. We know that 83% of people who come to us are in distress. And we know what an impact we can have, with 99% of our Wrens reporting a positive experience when undergoing our support.
We are so grateful for your support. Please help us to reach our goal this Christmas.
Thank you,
The Wren Project team
Wren Voices: My Lupus diagnosis came in the midst of pandemic
In the first of our Wren Voices campaign, where our Wrens share their experiences of life with autoimmune disease, one Wren talks to us about the complexities of a Lupus diagnosis…
Lupus.
A small, seemingly insignificant word, unless you’re the bearer of this autoimmune disease. There’s no shame in not knowing about its existence. When I was first diagnosed, one of the consultants asked me if I’d heard of Lupus before, and was amused at my reply: “Ermm… something to do with wolves?”
As a young adult faced with a complicated diagnosis during the midst of the pandemic, I struggled to comprehend how my life, relationships, education, and my career could be impacted. It can be frightening when your first thought is to immediately check your phone, and absorb as many articles, YouTube videos and journals as you can. I had to actively prevent myself from doing this, because most of the time I didn’t know what to look for. Instead of searching for support groups and regulated charities, I found articles on life expectancy and long-term symptoms… not the most helpful things to look at when you’ve got the rest of your life to look forward to.
I have Systemic Lupus Erythematous. While I won’t treat you to the exact definition (feel free to look up), for me, that meant I sometimes have the typical butterfly rash across my face/upper cheek bones; experience joint ache ranging from mild-severe; struggle with fatigue; sun sensitivity and a propensity to ‘hate everybody’ when the pain gets too much. SLE means I’ve also developed a love for comedy; resilience; crazy-high pain tolerance; and an infinite amount of knowledge on low-potassium foods. It took me a while to learn how to manage my symptoms and learn more about the person I could be. Two years, in fact. Don’t be disheartened if you’re new to this; it takes time. Here are some of the symptoms that regularly challenge me and how I chose to manage them:
Sun-sensitivity: Buying myself a gorgeous pair of sunglasses, so I feel confident and comfortable wearing them.
Butterfly rash: Alas, I can’t remove it (it comes and goes), but I shake off the rubbish feeling by having a couple of skincare products handy when my self-esteem takes a hit. I find hand, hair, and foot masks are a great way to be kind to myself when I’m feeling down.
Joint pain: I’m still struggling with this one. I rarely wear short-sleeve tops or cropped trousers to avoid exposing my joints in the cold and have several hot water bottles handy. Being in tune with my body and learning how much is too much. On a good day, a light walk can be motivating and uplifting. Or sticking to “home workouts for over-50’s” can be a good way to prevent muscle wastage without over-tiring myself.
Fatigue: I don’t drink coffee, but I have treats to give me a boost when I’m low on energy. Also, just resting or lying down can give my body the downtime it needs. I’m careful not to overwork myself either – opting for hybrid or remote working means fewer commutes that can cause flare-ups and tiredness.
Loneliness: Sometimes it feels like nobody understands what you’re going through. The Wren Project was an amazing lifeline for me. My listening volunteer was kind, understanding and made me laugh despite everything. When I graduated, I joined the Wren Nest, and it was so lovely to hear and see other people who were going through auto-immune diseases like me. People bringing their tips and life stories have been immensely valuable and helped me to find new ways to manage my condition. I look forward to those Zoom sessions every month now.
I wrote this article, (ironically) late for Lupus Awareness Month, because I’d been amid another lupus flare-up. I think that also reflects just how hard it can sometimes be to manage a chronic condition. I did not expect to have several flare-ups this month, and sometimes my symptoms can get in the way of day-to-day life. But I have learned ways to lessen my symptoms and reduce my pain, so that I can still go on days out and spend time with friends and family. It took a lot of trial and error, but that’s part of the process.
To all those with new diagnoses, welcome aboard. Your symptoms will come like waves, (sometimes crashing, sometimes small) and over time you’ll learn how to ride it out. Learn to identify who you are, what you enjoy and what makes you laugh, so that if the pain ever becomes unbearable, you have reminders that you are more than your condition.
And to those who’ve been diagnosed (and re-diagnosed!) for a while, be proud of yourselves. Acknowledge how far you’ve come, and the obstacles you have encountered. And if you need someone to listen your story, and what you’re going through, The Wren Project is here to help.
Here at the Wren Project, we are here to support you. If you or someone you know could benefit from our free, one-to-one listening support sessions, please get in touch here for support.
Would you like to share your story in our Wren Voices campaign? Get in touch here.
Fundraiser Dylan raises £8.5k in epic 500km cycle in 24 hours
Fundraiser Dylan Sanders has raised over £8.5k in an epic challenge that saw him cycle a gruelling 500km in 24 hours.
Dylan rode solo from Angel of the North, near Newcastle, to Angel, London, on Saturday to try to understand the pain and isolation often felt by people living with autoimmune disease.
Speaking about the challenge, Dylan admitted it took him to some “dark places” as he battled strong winds, but was kept going by an incredible on the road support team.
”A massive thank you to everyone for all [their] support,” he said. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
Dylan hoped to raise £8,000 with his fundraising effort for the Wren Project.
He admitted the challenge would “test himself and his mental resilience,” as he pushed himself beyond his limits.”
”The Wren Project is a charity very close to my heart,” he explained. “They respond to the emotional challenges caused by a diagnosis of autoimmune disease.”
On behalf of the Wren Project, we would like to say a huge thank you to Dylan for his monumental fundraising challenge. Every penny raised for us goes directly back into supporting people in crisis as a result of their diagnosis; helping us train more volunteers to deliver empathetic listening sessions to those who need it most.
Let’s hear it for Dylan!
You can read more about Dylan’s Angel2Angel Fundraising challenge for the Wren Project, here.
Adults with Arthritis: Summary results from our survey
Last autumn, we worked with Juvenile Arthritis Research and Arthur's Place on a joint survey to understand more about the experience of living with arthritis as an adult.
Findings from the survey will be used to:
help develop new services to meet the needs of our communities
share findings with clinical teams to help them improve services & help target future research
support and bring awareness of activities and things that matter most to those directly affected.
A summary of the findings are captured below:
Of over 570+ responses:
93% had a diagnosis of arthritis, or other rheumatic or musculoskeletal condition
Over half of respondents also had at least one other autoimmune or autoinflammatory condition.
The survey asked participants to reflect on their experiences over the past two weeks:
The survey demonstrates the impact of living with arthritis, with respondents reflecting on the widespread impact of arthritis - which is significant, affecting every aspect of their lives.
What next?
JAR continue to analyse the detailed results, and aim to publish these in the coming year, sharing this research broadly at scientific conferences and events. They also aim to develop new services and support models to help those affected, in response to the feedback of survey participants.
Team Wren raise £7k in the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge
We are delighted to announce that a group of #TeamWren fundraisers have raised a staggering £7,109 completing the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge.
The 19-strong group, led by Kerry Ryan, took on the 24 mile route of the best known peaks in Yorkshire, battling blustery conditions to complete the challenge in under 12 hours.
Sharing their experience of the challenge, team member Rupert Middleton said: “It was a really memorable day with lots of individual heroics.”
The Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge includes scaling the Pen-y-Ghent (694m), Whernside (736m) and Ingleborough (723m) peaks. The hills form part of the Pennine range, with walkers getting spectacular views over the valley of the River Ribble. The aim is to complete the challenge under 12 hours.
The group, who planned to raise £5,000, surpassed their target to reach a whopping £7,109 for the Wren Project. Their effort means we can continue to offer life-changing 1:1 listening support to anyone living with autoimmune disease.
Founder of the Wren Project, Kate Middleton, added: “I’m enormously grateful to all the mountaineers struggling against rain and hail, climbing in the name of Wren. Thankyou to everyone who took part and your wonderful fundraising efforts.
”The money you have raised will allow us to support more Wrens living with autoimmune disease, working towards our aim to help all 4 million people across the UK.”
Every donation raised by those who join #TeamWren - our fundraisers - allows us to continue to offer unrivalled support to our Wrens. This means our team of volunteers can benefit from expert training, allowing them to provide much-needed empathetic listening to those living with the complexities of autoimmune conditions.
We are so grateful for the hard work of #TeamWren for this incredible challenge and a huge congratulations to them all!
If you would like to donate to #TeamWren’s Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge, you can support them here.
Would you like to fundraise for the Wren Project and become part of #TeamWren? Head here to find out about fundraising for us.
The Wren Project is awarded a grant of £237,600 over three years from the National Lottery Community Fund
We share some huge, groundbreaking news at the Wren Project. We are so delighted, honoured, relieved, and happy to announce that we have been awarded a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund.
This grant represents a massive change in the way the Wren Project can operate, enabling us to build our 1-1 support offer and grow our Wren community over the next three years. It is a hugely significant and generous sum, and our success in bidding for it would not have been possible without the hard work and commitment of everyone in our community over the last 2 years.
Our particular and sincere thanks go to our volunteers, without whom we simply could not provide our 1-1 listening support: the heart of what we do.
We were successful because we could demonstrate the amazing impact of our work supporting Wrens, and the absolute value of the safe, non-judgemental, 1-1 listening support which your donations and championing make possible. Every donation, however large or small, and every 1-1 listening session, allow us to make the case for the critical need for the Wren Project, and to demonstrate our ability to deliver an unrivalled, important, and life-changing service.
Hackney Half Marathon runners have a huge impact
On the 21st May, six runners raced through the streets of Hackney, running 13.1 miles and raising £1,521 for the Wren Project.
We are humbled and honoured when members of our community choose to fundraise for us. There is something significant in supporters challenging themselves physically and emotionally to raise money for the Wren Project, enabling us to continue to provide emotional support to those struggling with the impact of a lifelong autoimmune disease.
Thank you to all our runners, and all those who donated to them. We can’t do our work without your generoisty.
Our thanks to Dr Charlotte Sharp, completing the Cheshire triathlon and raising £925 for the Wren Project
On the 20th May, Charlotte Sharp competed in the Cheshire triathlon, swimming, biking, and running her way to raise £925 for the Wren Project.
She smashed her personal bests from the previous year, and almost doubled her fundraising target of £550.
It is humbling and a huge honour when our community go to great lengths, and use significant physical stamina, to fundraise for us because they believe in the value of our work, and the importance of listening support for people with autoimmune disease.
Our biggest thanks go to Charlotte, and to all those who donated to her campaign.
Donate this Mental Health Awareness Week and your generosity will be doubled by the Big Give's Kind²Mind
From midday Monday 15th May to midday on Monday 22nd May, any donations to the Wren Project via the Big Give's Kind²Mind campaign will have double the impact.
One donation, twice the impact!
The Wren Project is thrilled to be selected as one of the charities supported by the Big Give. The Kind²Mind campaign believes that kindness starts small to make a big difference in people’s lives. Kind²Mind is matching donations to amazing mental health charities to make donors’ kindness go twice as far.
Living with an autoimmune disease is exhausting and isolating. Beyond chronic physical disability, symptoms such as depression, loneliness, body dysmorphia, and grief are acute, life changing and overlooked. The Wren Project believes that no one should face autoimmune disease alone. We provide 1:1 support for people with autoimmune disease in times of distress.
Please, donate this week and double your impact, helping us to continue this vital work.
The Wren Project speaks at the British Society of Rheumatology annual conference 2023
Last week, the Wren Project attended the BSR annual conference in Manchester. Over the three conference days, we talked to a huge number of patients, consultants, nurses, doctors, patient organisations, occupational therapists, and support workers. With each, a common question arose: how can we help people living with autoimmune disease to feel more supported and less distressed?
It was wonderful to see how increasingly mental health is part of the conversation across all professional networks, and it’s exciting to know that the Wren Project is part of this conversation. It felt timely, therefore, that our CEO Kate’s presentation at the conference focused on the importance of mental health support for people with autoimmune disease.
There is a real sense that those we speak with see the value of the Wren Project’s offering alongside physical medical care. We offer something that professionals might not have time to include in their appointments. Our task is to continue this work with the wider community to ensure people living with autoimmune disease know they are neither alone nor without mental health support if they need it.
We welcome our 6th cohort of volunteers
We’re delighted to welcome our sixth cohort of volunteers to the Wren Project! All volunteers have completed our 7 weeks of online training on active listening and understanding autoimmune disease.
Training teaches and practices skills of active listening, and emphasises the importance of holding space and allowing an individual to explore what they are going through without offering advice, judgement, or chiming in with one’s own experience or opinion.
Volunteers are part of a robust volunteer community, and will start supporting two wrens shortly after finishing training. Congratulations to this new cohort of committed, skilled listeners and welcome to our Wren community!
Are you interested in training to volunteer with the Wren Project? More info here https://www.wrenproject.org/our-volunteers
£15,118 raised for the Wren Project by graduates at Bouygues Construction UK
The Wren Project is honoured to have partnered with Bouygues UK, a construction engineering firm who are committed to fostering and developing relationships with extremely worthwhile causes. The Wren Project is fortunate to have been chosen as one such worthwhile cause, with Graduates at the firm fundraising and completing the Snowdonia Challenge. With generous match funding from the company, graduates raised £15,118 for the Wren Project! A lot of money that will go a long way in helping us support people struggling with autoimmune disease. Thank you to all those who took part - we are incredibly grateful for your support.
Podcast: How to build a supportive community with Kate Middleton CEO & Founder of The Wren Project
We’re thrilled to share a recent episode of the Safe Place Podcast which features our own Kate Middleton, CEO and Founder of the Wren Project.
In this episode, Kate talks about receiving a diagnosis of Lupus aged 17, and how her own experience with this condition drove her to set up the Wren Project, and bridge the loneliness that millions of people living with autoimmune disease in the UK experience.
The conversation is raw, honest, and vulnerable - Kate discusses the emotional and physical challenge of living with a complex chronic illness, which affects multiple organs of the body. Kate reflects on the desire to help others who are struggling with similar diseases, while still maintaining important emotional boundaries to protect her own mental health. Throughout the conversation, Kate brings her wonderful humour - on topics from unsolicited advice and sharing a wheelchair with her grandma!, her utmost compassion for those with autoimmune disease, and the insight her experiences have brought her.
You can listen to the episode here, or wherever you get your podcasts.
If you don’t already know about the Safe Place Podcast, it’s well worth exploring. Hosted by Gavin Clarke, the Safe Place Podcast is a space of inclusivity, safety, for any conversation to be heard: “it is the place you go to feel comfort, to nurture your emotional wellbeing and escape the rigmarole of modern day living.“
Mount Snowdon and beyond: Bouygues graduates cycle, climb, and kayak across Snowdonia to raise over £10,000 for the Wren Project
It is no mean feat to cross Snowdonia national park in three days, and even more challenging when Wales deals its weather card with torrential rain, thick cloud, 40mph winds, and poor visibility!
At the beginning of October, 18 graduates from Bouygues Construction UK embarked on the annual graduate challenge to raise money for the Wren Project, the charity they chose - lucky us! Graduates cycled, kayaked, and hiked across Snowdonia National Park, 80 miles in just three days.
Tate Parry, a graduate at Bouygues UK who took part in the challenge, said:
“It’s been incredible to see our dedication and commitment to this year’s challenge pay off. While the torrential rain, 40mph winds, and capsized kayaks proved an unexpected twist, everyone powered through with a smile and pushed themselves beyond what they thought they were capable of. I’m very proud of what our group achieved last weekend, and what we’ve been able to raise for such a great cause.”
Graduates have raised over £5,000 which will be match funded by the company to bring over £10,000 to the Wren Project. We are so grateful to all the graduates who weathered storms, capsized kayaks, punctures, and a lot of soggy clothing to raise money and awareness for us.
“We are so honoured that the graduates at Bouygues Construction UK have selected the Wren Project as their chosen charity. We thank all the graduates for their energy in building momentum and fundraising on our behalf.”
- Kate Middleton, CEO
The Wren Project cohosts a creative writing workshop: The Submerged Body: Writing Water & Illness. Nature Writing Workshop with poet Jane Hartshorn
On Friday 23rd September, the Wren Project supported Chronic Illness Inclusion and Moving Mountains in hosting the poet and writer Jane Hartshorn in leading an online nature writing workshop to over 100 participants.
With images, poems, and exercises prompting exploration of the body and the body’s relationship to water, Jane led participants through a deeply reflective and creative 90 minutes.
Have a look at previous Moving Mountains workshops here.