Projects

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When the head-teacher of Cuerden Church School heard about the Grassroots project in Pendle she began gathering people together in Bamber Bridge to make a similar project a reality here. Below is an outline of the Pendle project which is the model for the work we hope to start here.

Blackburn Diocesan Board for Social Responsibility started a family support project in Pendle three years ago. ‘Grassroots’ Family Support in Pendle provides support to families living in the area by providing regular visits from trained and CRB cleared volunteers who will be a listening ear and offer practical help, when requested.
The referrals come from various agencies or the families themselves. Any family who is under stress for whatever reason may be referred, providing they have children in the family aged between 5 and 13 years.
After receiving a referral, the Project Co-ordinator will visit the family and do an initial assessment of the family’s support needs and a risk assessment for any future volunteer visitor who may be placed with the family. This occasionally takes a few visits, to enable the Co-ordinator to get to know the family and their problems, as sometimes the most pressing concern in the family does not become evident on the first visit.
Once a relationship has been established, the Co-ordinator is able to place a volunteer who is felt to be suitable to work alongside the family in question. The suitability is quite an important issue, as there needs to be a good working relationship between the family and visitor for there to be trust and growth which will enable the problems to be resolved.
The nature of the Project’s work is very much about esteem building and encouraging families to find their own practical solutions to meet their welfare and social needs.
From this, it is hoped there will be a ‘trickle–down’ effect, which will benefit the children’s education and the wider community. If parents are under less stress at home, it is assumed their children will be happier and more likely to concentrate at school.

A multi-agency partnership of Bamber Bridge schools, Churches, LCC Extended Schools Worker and Blackburn Diocesan Family Support Worker have been meeting to share vision, raise funds.
The project co-ordinator for our area is Juliane Stokes and her office is at St Mary’s Brownedge on the top floor of the old priory building. Juliane is actively looking for more volunteers to join her in this ground breaking project in which local Christians van express God’s care for families. For more information please contact Juliane on 07788158776 (mobile) or juliane.stokes@bsrgrassroots.org email. The web site for grassroots is www.bsrgrassroots.org if you would like further information .

GRASSROOTS FAMILY SUPPORT IN BAMBER BRIDGE PROJECT IN DETAIL