Lottery windfall joy for kids’charity
Funding boost will help Paisley families
A Paisley charity plans to keep it in the family after being handed a massive cash boost.
Childcare First, which runs nurseries in Ferguslie and Shortroods, is celebrating a £150,000 grant from the Big Lottery Fund to continue its Ready, Steady, Restore project.
The cash injection will fund the scheme – which supports parents to bring up healthy, happy children – until 2020.
Nicola Anderson, family support co-ordinator for Childcare First, explained how the money will help expand the already successful project.
She said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this grant from the Big Lottery Fund to help us continue to expand the Ready, Steady, Restore project across Ferguslie and Shortroods. “The money will allow us to roll out some of the work we have already been doing and reach more parents and families in the area.
“We have already had around 200 participants in the work that we have done and we want to increase that further.
“We hold a wide variety of workshops and play sessions for families.
“We also work with parents to provide recreational and development activities, like peersupported listening sessions, family heritage workshops, arts and crafts colour therapy and health and wellbeing workshops.”
The funding boost will also allow for further outings and family bonding opportunities at the heart of the project.
“We have already had outings to Rouken Glen Park and Pollock Country Park to learn about nature and that is something we can keep doing,” Nicola added.
“We have creative stitch classes with parents too, with creche facilities.
“It is about helping parents learn skills that have a practical application in the home and we want to continue with these types of workshops.
“The only criteria we have is that you live in Shortroods or Ferguslie and have children, from newborns up to eight-years-old.”
Big Lottery Fund Scotland chair Maureen McGinn added: “I am delighted that Childcare First - Ready Steady Restore has been successful in securing National Lottery funding.
“The award will make a big difference where it is needed most and I wish them every success as it goes on to develop and expand its project for the benefit of their local community.”