268 - Helping towards travel and visa costs for family support - Sept 2026

One of our members told us about a family who needed some 500 together help. The family have twins - one of whom was born with a serious health condition and has been in hospital for the first 3 months of his life . He is still having ongoing treatment with the hospital and is awaiting a stomach operation. Dad is working, but is on a low income. Mum was working, but is now unable to work due to the child’s health. They have no right to benefits as they own their own home and have a mortgage, which was all ok, until their son was born with health conditions meaning mum cannot go back to work. The long-term plan is that the mother-in-law will look after the children, and then the mum will be able to go back to work, however as the mother-in-law lives overseas, they are currently saving up to pay for her fare to get to the UK. Due to them trying to save any spare money for the plane ticket they are really struggling with the cost of food. Friends have been helping but this isn’t sustainable and they have been refused the food bank because Dad works and is allegedly earning enough. So they are stuck - unable to save enough for the plane ticket. Our £500 has allowed them to reach the total they needed to pay for the mother in law’s visa and plane ticket so they are able to press ahead with the arrangements and move towards mum getting back to work and the family becoming self-sufficient once again - with the bonus of family support. We have heard how the family were absolutely overwhelmed with gratitude by the donation and wanted to thank you all so much for your kindness - it is another wonderful example of the difference your weekly pound makes.

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