Ladywood Community Project

Ladywood Community Project

‘Face to face support for the local community.’

Ladywood Community Project has existed to help families and the community for the last 28 years, particularly those on low incomes, supporting them and encouraging them to feel part of the community.

What is Ladywood Community Project?

Ladywood Community Project was originally funded by the council to support people within the local area, developing a number of initiatives to support community development in an area where poverty and hardship is very apparent.

Following council cuts in 2013, Ladywood Community Project became a charity to give services and help to those who are struggling because of financial hardship. The charity is run by volunteers, with the exception of one member of staff.

The project aims to be supportive to those not only at the point of crisis, but also after. Service users have free use of a kitchen including a cooker, washing machine and dryer, a safe garden with play equipment and free tea and coffee. Ladywood Community Project also operates a fuel scheme for those assessed to be in crisis, a stay and play group and various subsidised trips and activities, such as to the seaside. Their holiday hunger scheme is running throughout the school holidays, with the local food bank, for families who would usually receive free school meals. Their biggest event, though, is their Christmas party which was attended by over 150 people last year!

If successful, what will you use your LoveBrum funding for?

School holidays can be very stressful for families. As well as the extra cost of feeding children, school uniform can introduce another big costs, particularly if children are moving from primary to secondary school. Many families cannot afford this without creating hardship in other household budgets or resorting to high interest money lenders.

The funding from LoveBrum would allow Ladywood Community Project to help parents with the cost of school uniform and enable them to offer up to £100 for children going from primary to secondary school which would help with a blazer, sportswear and equipment. £50 would be able to replace a junior school uniform.

Many children worry about standing out from their peers so helping them to start school in appropriate school uniform will help to build their confidence, whilst preventing parents from feeling as though they have let children down.