The Faraway Children's Charity (FCC) has been a registered charity (Number 1137170) since July 2010 and was established to respond to unmet needs by providing a range of resources and opportunities for the most disadvantaged and vulnerable children within Northamptonshire. FCC targets children and families who are within the most deprived areas, living in poverty or who are affected by drugs, alcohol or violence. Firstly to help children to cope with the huge impact they experience due to poor and inadequate levels of care and parenting. Our initial focus has been on addressing increasing immediate needs for children. Including, distributing basic health and hygiene resources such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, combs, deodorant and sanitary items. We are also giving out boxer shorts, pants, socks, school shoes, coats, school bags, hats, gloves and scarfs amongst other items. These directly benefit children but they also contribute towards wider outcomes such as increased self-esteem, self-respect and reduce their experiences of bullying at school and within their community. Such bullying often leads to school absence and the development of unhealthy coping behaviours which reduce their healthy development physically and mentally and therefore have long term negative effects on their lives. Some of these items have been donated to us or purchased at reduced prices from sits such as In Kind Direct. The charity is run by volunteers and has no paid staff to ensure all proceeds go towards children’s needs and administration costs are minimised. The trustees are all professionals with established careers in working with children and young people at a senior level within the East Midlands area. The long term aim of the charity is to establish a Safe House to provide a safe and comfortable space for children which provides for all their basic health, nutritional, support, informal education in a high quality stimulating and nurturing care package. Ultimately a residential model would be developed which would represent a model of excellence in the care of children and young people who are still unable to continue living within their 'family' home. Ideally the services would also extend to support parents and carers within needy families, with the inclusion of appropriate family skills and budgeting skills amongst many other services available. If you would like to support the work of FCC, donate resources or make a donation, please contact:
Jane Deamer (Chairperson) via [email protected].
