HOME-START WEST SOMERSET RECEIVES IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE OF £750 FROM EXMOOR LODGE AND PGLS.
On Monday 20th April, W.Bro. Clive Dunster, W.M. of the Exmoor Lodge 2390, meeting at Minehead, made a Lodge donation by way of a cheque in the sum of £500.00 to Home-Start West Somerset, a charity primarily concerned with providing practical support to vulnerable and disadvantaged families having children under the age of seven.
W.Bro. Clive contacted the charity’s Manager and Senior Family Support Co-Ordinator, Clare Pound, who informed him that since the Coronavirus social-distancing measures had been imposed, Home-Start West Somerset had been inundated with requests for assistance, particularly in respect of items such as milk and milk powder, nappies and all the usual essential commodities that young families require.
The charity’s staff found themselves having to co-ordinate and shop on behalf of single parents who were unable to leave their homes with their children. This was at the same time as continuing to provide support to other young children of families whose physical and mental health issues were magnifying their ongoing difficulties at this unprecedented time.
The Home-Start office in Minehead is currently closed to public access in line with the current Coronavirus guidelines. This has meant that their dedicated staff can still operate from the office but now have to use their own personal transport in order to deliver the food, supplies and support to their very vulnerable clients throughout Minehead, Watchet and the rural villages and hamlets within the Exmoor area.
Home-Start West Somerset, in common with many other localised charitable organisations across the Province are really struggling to provide the services to which they are dedicated, purely because of the extra burden placed upon them by the current situation.
Let us remember and assist, where possible, charities such as these that exist within our communities but who easily become overlooked in favour of larger nationally-publicised organisations. This particular charity will remain as one of those chosen by W. Bro. Clive to receive Exmoor Lodge support during his year as Master.
W.Bro. Clive is delighted that an extra £250 has now been added to the donation by way of match-funding from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Somerset, which was very quick to respond to the funding request made by Exmoor Lodge. The charity is now in receipt of £750 to help their cause.
The Brethren of Exmoor Lodge are very pleased to be able to provide this immediate support to Home-Start West Somerset at this difficult time.
Posted by W.Bro Andy Baird. Exmoor Lodge LCO and PGLS ACO SW.
