North Cotswold Community Awareness
What is North Cotswold Community Awareness?
In 2010 a chance conversation with a local community police officer regarding poverty in the North Cotswolds resulted in the setting up of a voluntary organisation – Community Awareness. Its purpose was to help North Cotswold agencies support low income families who experience financial hardship and deprivation. CA exists to support local professionals such as health visitors and parent support advisers working in schools and hospitals. Where they see urgent need funding is provided for emergency support to families who have children of primary school age.
In some cases social services are able to provide support but this can be slow, and in the meantime parents are unable to feed and clothe their children or provide them with a safe and warm place to sleep. Put simply, we try to act swiftly to alleviate need.
We were granted charitable status in August 2017 under the name North Cotswold Community Awareness.
Tackling Rural Poverty
It is a shocking fact that even in the idyllic surroundings of the North Cotswolds, rural poverty sadly exists. Children go without basics such as warm clothing, fresh food and a bed to sleep on. Isolated village families on low incomes are forced to cope with inadequate public transport which translates into difficulties in accessing health and welfare support for parents and their children. This in turn leads to a variety of social and financial problems.
We respond when there is urgent and immediate need for funds to alleviate the various types of crises which arise, and for which statutory funding is generally unavailable.
What we Do
Through the network of primary school Parent Support Advisers, health visitors, district nurses, and Home-Start, Community Awareness provides help in the form of children’s clothing, school uniform, shoes, books, stationery, toys, baby equipment and household goods. Assistance is given with funding when professional counselling or therapy is required for psychologically damaged children, or when it is considered a child would benefit from social interaction or an unaffordable school trip.
Our response is immediate.
Every Christmas, with the support of local organisations, CA is able to provide over 100 children with ‘Santa’ sacks plus seasonal treats – and where needed fresh meat, fruit and vegetables are delivered to families to cover the Christmas period.
How We Are Funded
Our small committee organises fund raising events and is most fortunate to receive support in the form of donations from local people, businesses and organisations. We operate on an entirely voluntary basis and at least 97% of donations go directly to the children and the families that we support.
North Cotswold Community Awareness is a Registered Charity Number 1175482
The Difference We Make
By working with agencies in the North Cotswolds, Community Awareness supports young children from low income families experiencing hardship and deprivation, helping to meet their urgent and emergency needs
In improving the lives of these children, the belief is that there will be long term benefits not only for their own families, but also for the community in which they live
Committee Members
Imogen Joss (Chair)
Val Ayres
Jan Lesser
Jill Ziemer
Marion Stefanowicz
Lesley Long-Leather
EMAIL ADDRESS
contact@cotswoldca.co.uk
POSTAL ADDRESS
Cotswold Community Awareness
PO box 99
Moreton in Marsh
GL56 9XY