Family Friends (Wrexham)

Family Friends (Wrexham) is a UK-based nonprofit organisation dedicated to providing emotional and practical support to disadvantaged families with children from pre-natal stages up to 14 years old in the Wrexham area. Registered charity number 1160655, it has been serving the community for over 25 years.

History and Purpose

Family Friends has a long-standing commitment to assisting families in crisis within Wrexham. It was established to address various challenges faced by parents and children, including social isolation, post-natal depression, disability, bereavement, and illness of a family member. The charity aims to strengthen family units by offering supportive services tailored to their needs.

Services

Family Friends operates through a network of trained and DBS-checked volunteers, many of whom are parents or individuals with relevant experience. These volunteers provide informal, friendly, and confidential support by visiting families in their homes. This home visitation service targets families with children from the pre-natal stage to 14 years old, ensuring personalized assistance.

In addition to home visits, Family Friends runs a variety of support groups focusing on issues such as:

• Assistance for families with disabled children
• School holiday Fun Club
• ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) sessions
• Confidence building workshops
• Domestic abuse support programs

These groups aim to foster community, provide education, and empower families to cope with diverse challenges.

Funding and Organisation

Family Friends is funded through a combination of sources, including Families First, the Henry Smith Charity, the Postcode Lottery, and the Community Foundation. The organisation is supported by a passionate core staff team alongside its volunteer base. Staff roles include senior management, counselling, domestic abuse programme facilitation, family support, volunteer coordination, and administrative functions.

Impact

Over its operational period, Family Friends has supported hundreds of parents and children in Wrexham, helping to alleviate family hardships and improve wellbeing through focused emotional and practical assistance. The charity's model of peer support and community engagement has made it a vital resource for families experiencing difficulties.

This overview reflects Family Friends' mission and activities as a community-focused charity working to support vulnerable families in Wrexham.

[1] https://family-friends.co.uk/about%20us.html [2] https://family-friends.co.uk [3] https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/about-the-register-of-charities/-/charity-details/5058983 [4] https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5058983/full-print [5] https://www.charitychoice.co.uk/family-friends-for-fives-8o-elevens-245689