The turmoil of the last few years has impacted millions of families across the globe. As we start to see the lasting effects of the pandemic on the economy, local charities like the FSW must work even harder to ensure that families are receiving the support they need. 

 

Family Support Work (FSW) has been operating for nearly 140 years, working to support families in the face of financial difficulty, mental health issues and domestic abuse. 

Alyson Heath has been the chairman of FSW since 2015, and in this article talks about the work of the charity and the impact it has had on the lives of many. 

 

Supporting over 440 families last year alone, FSW works tirelessly to ensure the whole family is well looked after, specifically focusing on the children’s well being. The charity worked with around 1302 children last year, providing them with enough food, clothing and toys to ensure they grow up in a stable environment. 

 

When asked about the lasting effects of covid on the food banks, Alyson said, “The food supply isn’t going down. People are still being incredibly generous. And in fact it’s gone up. So we are hoping that will continue.”

Alyson’s optimism about the situation comes as a surprise, but she credits the prosperity of the charity to both the hard-working members of the FSW, and the generosity of people in West Sussex.

“In Pulborough the message has really gotten out,” she says, ““I’m really pleased with how the village has taken it onboard.”  

This can be seen in the immense number of donations that the charity received last year, with over 4000 food deliveries being made to families in need.

 

“With rising prices and certainly with what's been happening over the last couple of months it would be lovely to say when I stand up at meetings that we’re shutting down, there’s no need. But actually the need for food is immense. It’s just huge.” (Alyson Heath, Chairman of FSW)

 

There are currently 21 members of staff working for the FSW across eastern West Sussex, each of them working to maintain the security of local families facing hardship.

The members provide each family with a food hamper every week containing donations from people across the county.

Although their main priority is ensuring that families have enough to eat, they also provide additional support around Christmas. The charity supplies families with ‘Christmas Hampers’ containing a turkey, christmas treats and advent calendars for the children. 

“It’s things like that that children talk about in school, opening their Advent calendars, but some of these children don’t have one.”

 

The FSW’s disposition to go above and beyond to improve the lives of children and their families is truly inspiring, and sheds light on the incredible work that they do everyday. Whilst making sure that families are receiving basic necessities, they also provide them with the small things they need to prosper and grow.