A CHARITY supporting Warwick families has received substantial funding for a new three-year wellbeing initiative.
Elaine Johnston, chief executive of Kenilworth-based charity Parenting Project, said the £94,000 grant from Warwick charity Thomas Oken and Nicholas Eyffler would help support up to 225 families in the CV34 postcode during the programme.
Ms Johnston said of the estimated 4,000 families with children under 19 in the area, almost ten per cent were struggling with disadvantage, marginalisation and social and economic exclusion, compounded by mental health difficulties experienced by a quarter of parents at any one time.
She said: “The difficulties individual family members can face often affect the whole family. By supporting the wellbeing of whole families, they are enabled to deal with their difficulties more effectively and put themselves on a positive path and avoid problems in the future.”
Any family, within Warwick, facing difficulties is asked to contact the Parenting Project team, who are also asking health visitors, midwives, teachers, GPs, voluntary sector organisations and community groups to refer families to the programme.
Clive Mason, chairman of the Oken and Eyffler Charity, said the project provided a range of services for mental health and wellbeing, including counselling therapy, family support and parent mentoring. He said it complemented the Active Monitoring Project, which was launched in July with Springfield MIND and local GPs to support local people with issues such as stress, depression, low self-esteem and anger.
He added: “These are both excellent projects and fully deserving of the support we can offer. Our charity was set up in the 16th century to help just such people. Thomas Oken and Nicholas Eyffler both lived in Warwick and left property, land and a large sum of money for those in need in the town.”
Anyone wishing to learn more about the wellbeing programme and the Parenting Project should call 07949 720941 or email [email protected]
