A North Tyneside charity has been able to continue its essential support of youngsters impacted by domestic violence, referred to as a pandemic within a pandemic, due to a £15000 donation from the Northumberland Masons, thanks to the financial support from the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF). This grant is one of a number of donations allocated nationwide to assist charities impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Acorns Project, located in North Shields, was founded in 1999, as it was identified that there was a gap in services that provided specialist support to families whose lives had been impacted by domestic abuse. They have developed a model of therapeutic one to one support in response to the views of children, young people and their families. Acorns has become a place where children and their families take ownership, feel safe, feel important and be part of their own recovery. They attain this by consulting and working with families in order to ascertain what support they feel they require and then put together a bespoke package, tailored to the individuals needs. This support is subject of constant review in order that changes can be made whenever required.
Abby Traynor, Acorns Project CEO, said “To be awarded core funding is incredibly important for charities such as ours. It ensures that we can create a solid foundation for the work that we do, contributing towards safe, welcoming environments for our service users, excellent support for our project work and sustainability over the longer term. We couldn’t be more grateful for the support from the Masonic Charitable Foundation.”
Kevin Stannard, representing the Northumberland Freemasons said ” For those of us lucky enough to have been raised in a loving and supportive family environment, to hear stories that arise from the scourge of domestic abuse – especially against young children – brings a harrowing jolt and some small insight into the real-life experiences of some who are less fortunate.
The work of the charity “Acorns” brings vital relief to afflicted families and gives respite and the opportunity for children and young adults to rebuild self-esteem, confidence and assertiveness in the wake of such terrible traumas.
The Freemasons of Northumberland are delighted to have been able to support “Acorns”, with the donation of funds that, we hope, will greatly aid their work in the months and years to come and provide much needed assistance and relief to the victims of domestic abuse in North Tyneside and Northumberland.”
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