Dear Friends

With just over a month to go until Christmas the activity is building both here in Garton House and across all the areas we work in.  It is so important that we make the extra effort at this time of year to ensure that all the families we support have everything they need to have a good time at Christmas.

The giving of gifts for the families and the extra food and the parties are about two things.  First, they are about building happy memories.  We all need to be able to look back and talk about good times we have had and especially children as they return to school.  They need to be able to say "We had the special food, we got presents, we went to the panto." Why? Because then they don't look any different from any other child in their class, they don't feel excluded.

The second reason is to help the parents with the costs.  This is the time of year when it is so easy for a family to increase their debt or fall into arrears (or further into arrears) with bills.  By giving the practical support at this time, we relieve the pressure.  By we, I mean you, our friends and supporters, as well as the team of volunteers and staff.  We only do our work because we are all in it together.

Please, as we get closer to Christmas, if you can add a toy onto your present list for one of our families, or pop a couple of extra things in the grocery basket this month please do, we really do appreciate it.

With thanks as always for your ongoing support, which means a huge amount to us and our families.

With warm wishes

Martin and the FSW team

We are in one of our busiest times of year at the moment, as we juggle the many needs of our families as well as all the preparations for Advent and Christmas.  Parties are planned, hamper packing dates are scheduled and we are getting daily calls from churches and other organisations asking what gifts would be most appropriate this year.  Thank you to everybody who is supporting us this year with food, presents, financial donations or by volunteering - we are incredibly grateful.

Away from the festive planning, things remain very difficult for our families with the increased energy costs over the winter months contributing to financial problems.  We are very grateful to anybody who is supporting our 'Share the Warmth' winter fuel campaign, which makes a huge difference to these families who are struggling.  There are still very long waiting lists for speacialist services such as SEN support for children or access to mental health professionals, so our practitioners are really vital sources of support to families in these circumstances.

Funding continues to be challenging, with so many charities seeking support from grant funders and individual donors alike.  We really do value all the support we receive from churches and their congregations as well as local groups including Rotary and Lions clubs.  We are planning a skydive for 2024, so if there are any thrillseekers out there who think they might like to join us, do get in touch with the fundraising team on 01273 041401 or by email fundraising@familysupportwork.org.uk.

October's work in numbers:

* 258 individual visits and 1181 calls with families supporting 324 adults and 301 children

* 39 supported meetings with other agencies

* 48 group sessions held supporting 589 parents and 334 children

* 108 food deliveries made

Prayer points:

* Pray that all our staff will find appropriate balance between work and rest during the upcoming busy Advent and Christmas period

* Give thanks for a very generous individual donation we have recently received

* Pray that a very important grant funding meeting taking place in early December will have a positive outcome

Nikki Kerr, FSW Director of Fundraising and Marketing