An open letter

01.04.2019

Issue 6: Spring/Summer 2019

“Dear MCF,

Since my husband died, money has been tight. While he was ill, I was his full-time carer so keeping my job just wasn’t an option, but the benefits we received helped us to get by. Once he died, those benefits disappeared and things became very difficult.

As a single mother, taking care of my two young boys, Connor and Kian can be tough. Making sure we have enough money to cover our everyday expenses is difficult enough, without even thinking about the additional experiences I’d like to give them.

The help I have received from the MCF has made such a difference to our lives. As well as receiving support to cover essentials for the boys like school uniforms or lunches, they also get the chance to have a bit of fun with their friends at football club and music lessons. As well as all that, we have also been fortunate to receive grants towards a holiday and days out – things that I would never have been able to budget for.

Over the six weeks of summer holidays, the boys were lucky enough to enjoy two holidays which would never have been possible without the help of the MCF. We decided to take advantage of the unusually hot weather to enjoy a proper British seaside holiday! In July we set off on the ferry across the Solent to enjoy a week of outdoor fun on the Isle of Wight. We spent a lot of time crabbing and swimming at the beach – the boys love anything outdoors so this was such a treat! We also took in lots of the local attractions like the Needles and learnt about dinosaurs at the Dinosaur Isle museum.

A few weeks later we were off down south again, this time to Bournemouth. The sun was still shining so we enjoyed playing and swimming at the beach as well as visiting the arcade and getting to eat out. The chance to get away was absolutely brilliant for the boys, and I got to enjoy a much needed holiday from the housework!

I can’t change that they will forever live without their dad but I can help them make amazing memories which is the most important thing. Happy, family memories are everything.

Thank you will never be enough.” – Kim