As you may know, I am involved with a charity called "Faith in Families" which runs 4 family centres (3 in Swansea and 1 in Brecon) with projects like these:
* Parent and Toddler Groups
* Playgroups
* After School Clubs
* Healthy Family Lunches
* Playscheme, Fun Days
* Drop-in Sessions
* Outreach Home Visits
* Creches
* Parenting Courses
* Basic Skills courses for Parents
* Back to Work Projects
* Learn to grow food
* Foodbanks
* Summer holiday breakfast and lunch clubs
* Lunch clubs to combat loneliness
These centres help anyone in the community who needs it. They don't judge; they just want to help as many families as they can. Without the centres where will all those people who need their help on a daily basis go?
The Welsh Government's Tackling Poverty program will end in March 2018 and so we need to raise £260,000. Without this these centres will close, services to children and families in these areas will end, a skilled and passionate staff team will be made redundant and relationships built up in these communities for almost two decades will be lost.
£20,000 will provide a lifeline whilst we secure sustainable funding for these vital centres and services. If we can raise £400 then that will be 2% of the total - just for me being 65 :-)
So please, please, don't buy me anything for my birthday but give a little present to Faith in Families instead.