Our next in June, AGM September 20^th  then December 2014.

This year our AGM will be later in the year – on Saturday 20^th September2014  from 2 .00 to 4.00pm.  Our speaker will be from “Kids” telling us about the “Face to Face” Befriending Service which they have been developing in partnership with national Scope.

“Face to Face” is a support service for families who have recently discovered their child has a disability, their child is in the early stages of diagnosis or in a particularly challenging transitional  phase or time of their disabled child’s life.  It provides a network of trained volunteers who are able to provide parents or primary carers emotional support, advice and signposting to relevant services.

Every Face to Face befriender is a parent too;  someone whose own child has a disability.   They know what it’s like to cope with a new diagnosis and can offer support – parent to parent.  Face to Face is free and confidential.

It was officially launched in Winchester in March 2014 when befrienders were presented with certificates for having trained and met the standard set by Scope.   It currently operates in   Basingstoke, New Forest, Fareham, Gosport and Havant and the hope is that in time it will spread to the Winchester City Council area.    For more information go to their website: www.face2facenetwork.org.uk or ring 01329 242954.