Gateway Family Services

17/10/2025

Supporting the Supporters 💙

Donna didn’t realise she was a carer. She just thought she was doing what had to be done. But with help from her social prescriber, she discovered the financial and emotional support available to people like her—quiet heroes behind the scenes.

Now better supported and less alone, Donna can focus on both her husband’s needs and her own. Read her story:
➡️https://gatewayfs.org/the-unexpected-carer-how-donna-found-support-for-the-role-she-never-asked-for/

10/10/2025

Jamie-Lee’s story highlights the importance of holistic support for survivors of domestic abuse, especially single mothers balancing childcare, housing, and health challenges. Our Early Help service played a crucial role — not only connecting her to practical resources but offering encouragement that gave her the strength to keep going.

Follow Early Help Edgbaston & Northfield to learn more!

05/10/2025

🎉 And that’s a wrap!

Over the past week, we’ve taken you behind the scenes of our year — from buses full of health checks 🚌 to concert halls packed with people we’ve supported 🎶, and everything in between.

None of this would have been possible without our brilliant staff, our partners, and of course, the communities of Birmingham and Solihull who inspire us every single day. 💙

We’ve crunched the numbers, shared the stories, and celebrated the wins — but the heart of it all is simple: people helping people.

🙏 Thank you for being part of the Gateway journey. Same time next year? 😉

📖 Haven’t seen the full report yet? Give it a read here 👉 https://gatewayfs.org/about-us/our-impact/

04/10/2025

“Weight Management"

🛒 Almost half of the 709 people referred to our weight management programme lost the equivalent of five bags of sugar each. That’s a lot of sweet success!

It’s not just about the scales — it’s about confidence, health, and proving to yourself that change is possible. 👏

📖 Full details in our Impact Report: https://gatewayfs.org/about-us/our-impact/

03/10/2025

⛽ We issued 200+ fuel bank vouchers this year — that’s a lot of kettles boiled, radiators warmed, and hot baths run.

Because let’s face it: no one makes good decisions when they’re freezing. We’re proud to have kept homes warm and spirits a little higher during some of the coldest months. 💙

Read the full story in our Impact Report: https://gatewayfs.org/about-us/our-impact/

🔥 Tomorrow’s stat is a weighty one — and no, we’re not talking about the mince pies.

03/10/2025

Doing It All—and Now, Not Alone 👨‍👩‍👦

Peter took in his grandson. He’s caring for his wife. He’s dealing with past trauma. And for a while, he was doing it all without help. But one appointment changed that. With the right support, he now has school uniforms, essential kitchen items, and—perhaps most importantly—someone in his corner.

Read his powerful story of quiet resilience:
➡️ https://gatewayfs.org/carer-guardian-survivor-peters-story-of-quiet-strength-and-steady-progress/

02/10/2025

🚌 Remember that cheeky hint yesterday about something “bigger than a bus”?
Well, here it is… not just one bus, but FIVE!

This year, our team delivered over 250 lifestyle checks — blood pressure, heart rate, BMI, the works. That’s enough to fill five double-decker buses with people who’ve had a health MOT with us. 🩺💪

Sometimes the biggest impacts start with the smallest steps — one check at a time.

📖 Read more in our full Impact Report: https://gatewayfs.org/about-us/our-impact/

👀 Tomorrow we’ll tell you about the fuel that kept people warm this year… literally.

01/10/2025

🥁 Well, would you look at that… Gateway’s Impact Report 2025 has landed! 🎉

It’s been quite a year — thousands of hours spent supporting people, countless cups of tea along the way ☕, and enough paperwork to make your eyes water. But behind it all are the stories that matter: families feeling less alone, people regaining confidence, and communities growing stronger. 💚

This year we’ve supported 10,000+ people with over 72,000 hours of care — and yes, that’s a lot of listening ears, walking shoes, and phone calls!

Massive thanks to our brilliant team and the wonderful communities who keep us going. 🙌

👉 You can read the full report here: https://gatewayfs.org/about-us/our-impact/

And don’t wander off just yet… tomorrow we’ll spill the beans on one of our favourite “year in numbers” stats. (Spoiler: it’s bigger than a bus. 😉)

29/09/2025

🌟 Help Shape the Future of Maternity & Neonatal Care in the West Midlands!
We're looking for TWO brilliant administrators to join our Maternity & Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP) team!

The Positions:
📍 Administrator – Birmingham/Solihull MNVP
📍 Administrator – Black Country MNVP
The Details:
⏰ Part-time: 18.5 hours per week
💷 £24,242 per annum (pro rata £12,121)
🏠 Remote/Harborne office (hybrid working)
📅 12-month fixed contract
⏳ Closing date: 5th October 2025

Why This Role Matters:
Every day, families across the West Midlands use maternity and neonatal services. This is your chance to help ensure their voices are heard and their experiences shape the future of these vital services.

You'll be supporting our MNVP team to:
✨ Connect with families and communities
✨ Organise events and engagement activities
✨ Manage social media to amplify service users' voices
✨ Coordinate meetings and keep everyone connected
✨ Help turn feedback into real improvements

What's in it for you?
🌈 Workplace wellbeing support
🏡 Hybrid and flexible working
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family-friendly policies
🅿️ Subsidised parking
💪 The chance to make a genuine difference to families' experiences

If you're organised, compassionate, and want to be part of something that truly matters, we'd love to hear from you!

Ready to apply?

Head to our vacancies page for full details and to submit your application:
👉 https://gatewayfs.org/about-us/our-vacancies/

Don't hang about – applications close 5th October! ⏰

23/09/2025

🚲✨ We’ve got some brilliant news to share! ✨🚶‍♀️

Our North Solihull Active Travel Social Prescribing Project has been named a finalist for Community Engagement Project of the Year at the Team Modeshift National Travel Awards 2025! 🏆

This project supported North Solihull residents in accessing local walking and cycling provision, including wheelchair friendly spaces, to support health and wellbeing. Over the past year, in collaboration with West Midlands Combined Authority , Solihull Council and Think Active CSW , we’ve been working hard to make that happen in our community.

Here’s a taste of what we’ve achieved together:
🌟 57 frontline health professionals trained to encourage active travel in their daily life
🌟 37 local walking and cycling providers brought on board
🌟 10 welcoming “Come and Try” events so residents could sample activities locally
🌟 300 referrals into local opportunities for activity
🌟 A Health Navigator recruited to offer one-to-one guidance and support
🌟 Plus, hundreds of people reached through our digital campaigns

We are very proud of all the achievements we made together for residents.

We’re over the moon to be recognised nationally for this work — and whatever happens in November, we’re so proud of what the project has achieved already.

Thanks to everyone who supported the project including all local participant's. This nomination is for all of you. 🙌

23/09/2025

🌸 Last Friday, our Birmingham and Solihull Maternity & Neonatal Voices Partnershipl had the pleasure of attending the Study Day.

The event brought together professionals, volunteers, and service users, with a fantastic line-up of key speakers sharing their expertise and experiences around infant feeding. It was a truly informative and collaborative day, filled with learning and connection.

A heartfelt thank you to all the brilliant speakers, including , – we are so grateful for the knowledge and insights you shared. 💜

19/09/2025

At GFS, we believe that no one should have to carry the weight of grief alone.

That’s why we’re proud to be working in Edgbaston with Thriving Communities CIC and partners like Suzanne McArthur, who bring decades of expertise and compassion to this work.

Together, we’re helping to break the silence around grief — creating safe spaces for people to share their stories, connect with others, and find support in community.

💬 Why is it so hard to talk about grief?

Loss is something we all experience, yet when it comes, many of us carry it in silence. Whether it’s the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, or the loss of a home or job — grief touches every one of us.

We recently spoke with Suzanne McArthur from Thriving Communities CIC, who has over 25 years’ experience helping people navigate loss with compassion and cultural sensitivity. She reminded us that grief doesn’t follow a neat timeline or “end” with closure. Instead, it changes — becoming something we learn to live with, not “get over.”

Listen to our Podcast here: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/edgbaston-nns/episodes/Time-To-Talk---Suzanne-McArthur-and-Ruth-Chauhan-e38sc7c/a-ac6cn9i

👉 That’s why we need to create spaces where people feel safe to share their stories of loss, to be heard without judgment, and to know they’re not alone.

Here in Edgbaston, we’re working with Suzanne and partners to break the silence. Through community workshops and conversations, we’re opening up dialogue about grief, so no one has to carry it in isolation.

🕊️ Let’s build communities that listen, support, and understand. It’s time to give grief the space it deserves.

Link: https://gatewayfs.org/breaking-the-silence-why-we-struggle-to-talk-about-grief/