There are almost 100 youngsters with whom we are in regular contact from new babies to students studying for A Levels. A quite disproportionate number of them have a disability. Individually each one is important to us and birthdays are always remembered. Where they miss out on so many things their peers enjoy, we try to enrich their lives with outings, like the visit to Hounslow Urban Farm, Polka Theatre workshops and adventure camps.
We have 17 trained befrienders most of them working with families, so they have much to do with the children. They support their families in a wide range of troubling situations – abuse, debt, eviction, homelessness, debt, mental and physical illnesses, disability, immigration problems. They are always there to listen face-to-face and on the phone.
When families are destitute and really struggling, we can be there to
provide regular monthly supply of donated/purchased bags of food and
vouchers. The bags of food also contain toiletries and household
products. Cultural and religious requirements are always taken into
consideration. These parcels and tokens are always delivered, often by a
befriender. The crises often occur when benefits are being reassessed.
When a family on a low income is moving to a totally empty property
or when large items break down, our Fix, Fit and Furnish team is ready
to help out. Some members of the team offer DIY and are able to erect
new furniture from flat-packed items. For a child who has been sleeping
on the floor a new bed is such a joy! The team will also fix curtain
rails, supply and hang donated curtains and source bedding if necessary.
Quite often, essential kitchenware items, such as pots and pans can also
be purchased for the family.
The Office may look like a traditional office, and there is much administrative work to be done both here and remotely to help the charity run smoothly. However as it is the only common place we have, it is also a hub for the sorting and collection of food, for the packing of presents, for meetings and for appointments.