The Mustard Tree

The Starting Point team are proud to present their impact report from 2025.

Throughout 2025 the young people have faced increasing challenges, with securing work within the current employment landscape, alongside their wellbeing during the mental health crisis. We have continued to provide support through mentoring, the Hub, creative opportunities, and amplifying their voices – empowering them to make and sustain positive change in themselves and their community.

Thank you to all our volunteers and partners who have enabled this work to continue.

“I really appreciated our time just getting to talk through some stuff and feeling so supported!”
Young person

You can read the full report on their website at startingpoint.org.uk/news/impact2025/

The April newsletter from the Engage Befriending team is ready for you to read.

This issue, there a feature on keeping your mind well and active, a quiz about Reading, tips to help you feel calmer, and other facts and puzzles.

To read it visit their website at: engage-uk.org/our-monthly-newsletter

Would you thrive in a varied role where every day brings opportunities to support others and strengthen community? You could be our new Operations Administrator.

You would manage a variety of administrative tasks and create a positive and welcoming experience for our service beneficiaries, volunteers and partners. This role will suit someone who is organised and proactive and has strong communication and interpersonal skills. It is for 15 hrs per week with a salary ranging from £25-27k FTE dependant on your experience.

For more information please visit our website: https://themustardtree.org/2026/03/04/were-recruiting/

Meet Dan! He is running the Reading half marathon on behalf of Engage Befriending .

Here’s why:
“My mum is the Engage manager and when she talks about the stories of the people who Engage work with, it really speaks to me. No one in their older age should be lonely or isolated.
So your donations will people feel less isolated and help the charity to recruit and train volunteers to visit people at home as well as support the monthly drop-in for the clients where they can meet up with each other and make friends”

To help make a difference to elderly people in Reading, and to sponsor Dan, visit his JustGiving page here: justgiving.com/page/daniel-curtis-199997

Thank you
💚🙏

To celebrate one year of Padel, our friends at The Atrium, are hosting various events across the weekend.

They are hosting another friendly charity padel tournament, with all proceeds from the evening going to the Mustard Tree.

Friday 13th February from 6pm.

It promises to be a great evening of padel, combined with The Atrium’s incredible hospitality, all in support of a fantastic cause.

The only thing we can’t guarantee is that it’ll be a balmy, hot, sunny evening — but the padel will be worth it!

To register visit: www.playtomic.com and search for The Atrium Health Club
or for more visit www.theatriumhealthclub.co.uk

The Atrium Health Club