To celebrate Rotherham Community Lottery turning 1 this February, we are sharing the stories of a handful of Causes that are signed up and how we have supported them on their journey so far. This is all about Families First!
My name is Ann Levick and I am the chair of Rotherham Families First.
We are a two-pronged charity:
1) We are Rotherham’s Christmas Toy appeal. We provide gifts to children and young people throughout Rotherham that would not have a gift to open on Christmas morning. We are supported by local businesses, members of the public, churches, and schools. Also, our local Radio station Rotherham Radio and The Advertiser support the appeal along with Parkgate Shopping. We feel that the appeal brings Rotherham together.
2) We supply emergency provisions to families who are in desperate need. This can be baby equipment, clothes, shoes, bedding, curtains, towels, small household items and toys. The professional working with the family emails the request through to myself, we get the items together and the workers collects and takes them to the families.
In 1990 I started to work for Rotherham Council (RMBC) in a rundown area of the town in which I thought there was a need for gifts to be sought and given to families at Christmas time. A colleague and myself put leaflets in schools and Doctor’s surgeries and collected the donated, used toys - washed and wrapped them - and gave them out. After the first year we only gave new toys, as it should be.
I also started a furniture scheme with volunteers off the estate, taking items to families. One item of furniture was £5 and 3 items were £10. This was a great success and ran for many years. I was so moved, and even though the furniture scheme ended, the Christmas Toy Appeal and the need for resources grew.
I got involved because there was a great need for such items and this need has not gone away.
We are all volunteers at Families First, and we give our time because we enjoy helping others less fortunate than ourselves. I couldn’t do what I do without the other volunteers.
We have had many challenges over the years. I have always classed myself as a Nomad moving from one office, to a room, to a cupboard, and now to a forever home at Parkgate Shopping; though this has been a challenge with flooding in the unit and losing a great deal of stock!
During the COVID lock down, because we were classed as an emergency provider. So we carried on, we changed the way we worked and it worked as none of us got ill and we managed also to do two Christmas Appeals (though somewhat differently to before).
When I left the council, I met with VAR who supported me for 2 years until I felt strong enough to start by myself forming a community group, Families First, with a bank account and a constitution. We were like this until VAR helped again and we managed to get Registered Charity status, changing our name to Rotherham Families First. Thank you, VAR, I couldn’t have done it without you.
You can find out more about Families First on their Facebook page and you can also support them on Rotherham's Community Lottery!
If you are a group that is in need of some support with anything mentioned above, please get in touch with our Comms team and they can point you in the right direction - comms@varotherham.org.uk.
(Pictures below: the start of their 'forever' home, birds eye view of the flooding, and finally the wonderful donations)
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