Community Link Foundation
ASOUTHPORT based organisation is to benefit from a grant from Community Link Foundation to help families in the area.
Home-Start Southport and Formby applied to CLF for a grant towards running a weekly group for very isolated families.
The organisation, which is based on Wight Moss Way, Southport, has a team of volunteers who help parents who are not able to leave the house because of anxiety or depression and they bring them to the group.
Children are looked after in a creche which is run by volunteers, and they play and meet other children while their parents take part in organised training and education sessions in another room on site.
The parents learn about cookery, budgeting, parenting skills, arts and crafts, play and early learning. They grow in confidence while learning new skills and making new friends. After a while, the parents have the confidence to come to the group by themselves, without the help of volunteers to get them there.
The families are referred to the charity by health visitors and social workers because they are finding day-to-day life difficult.
With Home-Start they learn to cope and start to enjoy family life.
The grant from Community Link Foundation will be used towards the rental of the church hall where the group meets, and the costs of a sessional play leader.
Enda Rylands, chairman of Community Link Foundation, said: “We are pleased to be able to help HomeStart with this grant as what they are doing within the community is so important.
“Without organisations like Home-Start these people could continue to feel isolated, but groups like this can make a huge difference to their lives.
“So, we were keen to support them so they can continue to help these families.”
Between 30 and 40 families benefit from this every year and the families are the most isolated and vulnerable.
The parents who attend have children with disabilities; some are refugees, many have depression and poor mental health.
The group is designed to cherish them and make them feel safe.
Annie Ives, manager of HomeStart Southport and Formby, said:
“We have been delighted to receive the grant from the CLF.
“It means we can offer muchneeded support to families who just need a bit of help through a tough time.”
For more information about Community Link Foundation, applying for a grant or how you can help with fundraising go to www. clfoundation.co.uk.