261 - Helping a grandmother with costs for children in her care - July 2026

One of our members asked if we could provide urgent support for a grandmother they are supporting, who has recently taken on the full-time care of her two grandchildren following their emergency removal from their mother’s care due to safeguarding concerns. Our member explained how this arrangement has enabled the children to remain within their family network during a highly distressing time, providing them with continuity, stability, and emotional reassurance. The grandmother herself is disabled and resides in a one-bedroom bungalow. Due to the sudden nature of the placement, she has had to make significant adaptations within her home to accommodate the children. Most notably, she has converted her living room into a bedroom to provide them with a safe and appropriate sleeping space. This has required the urgent purchase of beds and bedding, creating a considerable financial burden. In addition, she is now faced with the cost of removing and disposing of her settee to make adequate space for the children’s beds—an expense she is unable to meet. The children arrived at the property with only the clothes they were wearing. Both children’s schools have supported uniforms but they currently have no additional clothing or suitable footwear, making this an urgent and immediate need. We were pleased to be able to send £500 to allow our member to help the grandmother cover some of these costs. We know our support will have a very direct and positive impact on this family at a time of significant need and as always we feel lucky that because of the continued support of you wonderful members, we were able to say yes to this nomination as soon as it came to us.