Worksop charity launches fundraising appeal for help to continue supporting young people after vital funding is stopped

Transform Training Limited, based at the Dukeries Business Centre, in Retford Road, relied on emergency Covid funding to enable it to support children, young people and their families.

But now the funding has stopped and the charity is struggling to raise the funds to pay staff to cover the ongoing work.

Charity bosses have launched a festive fundraiser asking people to donate the cost of a pint or their favourite Christmas drink to help them keep doing this vital work in the New Year.

They have a fundraising target of £1,000.

The charity has been working in Worksop since March 2014 and during the pandemic delivered 326 online emotional wellbeing support sessions which had 1,216 people attend, in additional to doing welfare checks, dropping off food and other essentials.

It also had 875 attendances for the 126 sessions for children on free school meals and children of key workers that were accessible in schools, by providing face-to-face, online and telephone support sessions to those who have been the hardest hit by the pandemic through isolation, bereavement, separation from extended family help and support networks.

The charity’s head of education and training, Sophie Forbes-Taylor said “Our Covid mental health and wellbeing response and recovery project has helped to keep people mentally and emotionally safe and well during the pandemic.

"We are now working hard to help them to manage the effects of being exhausted and mentally stressed alongside coming to terms with the very real personal effects of the pandemic”.

Paula Croft has learning disabilities and has been helped by the organisation.

She said: “I have been involved with Transform since I was 18 or 19 and they have supported me for many years.

"I started attending Transform's breakaway drama group for young people with learning disabilities.

" I love attending the group because all the staff are down to earth and they have got time for each individual young person.

"I have met some amazing people that I now class as friends.

“Transform helped me in the most difficult time of my life.

"I struggled managing my feelings and behaviour which was leading me to get excluded from college and the group for a few years.

"I was then later diagnosed with ADHD at age 25 and got the help I finally needed and treated with daily medication.

I was open and honest with Transform about the diagnosis and they had a meeting to see if I could come back.

"I'm thankful that Transform let me have that second chance because they knew I had a lot of potential in me.

"They were not wrong. I have achieved a lot in these years. I have been on BBC's Look North for the Children in Need funding we received for the group.

"I was in plenty of shows which helped my confidence and went on trips. I have volunteered for Transform too.”

All funds donated on the online fundraiser on Local Giving will go straight to the charity

To donate visit https://localgiving.org/fundraising/make-christmas-safe-and-happy-appeal/