In July of this year the MCF awarded “More than Grandparents”, a charity based in Sunderland City Centre, a grant of £13,500.00 spread over 3 years to assist them in their day-to-day operational costs required to provide vital services.

The charity supports kinship children and kinship carers (most often the children’s grandparents) to access specialist support to help reduce the number of referrals of children into adoption services.

Assistant Provincial Grand Master Clinton Leeks accompanied by Robin Middleton, a member of the Durham Benevolence Committee visited the charity to see first-hand the difference this donation is making and to meet some of the carers involved.

“It was a privilege for me and Robin Middleton on behalf of Durham Benevolence to meet CEO Mel Nichols and some of the carers at “More Than Grandparents” a very friendly and welcoming centre in Sunderland. The stories we heard of decent people striving to cope to keep kinship children out of care with little if any statutory help were inspiring and showed yet again what an MCF grant can do to help to change and improve lives.”

Quote by “Clinton Leeks, Assistant Provincial Grand Master ”

We are so grateful to be supported by the MCF. The funding means we can continue to support vulnerable kinship families who don’t get the support they need and deserve from statutory services. Too often families are left struggling financially having stepped in to care for a child–managing their child’s trauma or challenging behaviour and extremely difficult relations with birth parents and supervising contact, often alongside other caring roles or their own health conditions. MCF funding means we can support kinship families, reducing isolation, ensuring they understand their rights and entitlements, accessing other support and above all creating a sense of belonging.”

Quote by “Melonie Nichols, CEO, More than Grandparents”

Check out the fantastic work done by visiting their website.      click here