Last summer, STARS Dorset applied to the Cherries Community Fund for a £2,500 grant to purchase HappySelf Journals for 200 clients receiving support from our specialist services.

We were successful and on February 18th 2026, our Fundraising Officer, Adam, and Volunteer Coordinator, Jo (both centre) were invited to AFC Bournemouth’s Performance Centre to be presented with the cheque by the Cherries panel, including first-team player Marcus Tavernier — and, of course two of our Trauma Teddies, Pippa (pink) and Bessie (blue), tagged along to raise awareness of our cause!

The grant will enable us to purchase 67 Junior Journals (for ages 6-12), 67 Teen Journals (for ages 12+), and 66 Grown-Up Journals to be distributed to survivors receiving support from our counselling, Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA), and Children and Young People (CYP) services — these HappySelf Journals feature daily prompts for mindfulness and reflection, encouraging users to practice gratitude and build positivity and emotional resilience, which makes them a great tool to aid in recovering and moving forward from trauma.

We’re so grateful for the Cherries Community Fund’s generosity and enduring commitment to supporting local charities across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

As a non-profit, STARS Dorset is reliant on grants and donations to continue our work of supporting survivors across the county on their recovery journey and educating, advocating, and campaigning for a society free from abuse; please visit our Donations page to discover how you can help to support our mission too.