Frome family charity, Purple Elephant, has been given a £15,000 funding boost from the Somerset Freemasons which will be paid to the charity over three years.
The grant will allow Purple Elephant to continue to provide important services for the families of children from babies and pre-school age right up to teenagers.
Trustee at Purple Elephant, John-Sebastian Clarke, said, “From providing early support to parents of toddlers, to offering safe spaces for teens to hang out after school as well as all-family school holiday activities with free healthy meals, the work done by Purple Elephant is essential.
“Only today, one parent told us, ‘When my child was small, my mental health was terrible. If it wasn’t for Purple Elephant, I wouldn’t be here today.’ We cannot know the impact we’ll have on everyone but what we do know is that being able to plan ahead, so that we can travel the whole journey with people over the years, is crucial to success. Grants like this are part of what makes planning possible and mean real benefits for families’ health and welfare.”
Frome Freemason Andy Baird, the Communications Officer for Somerset Freemasons and the Royal Somerset Lodge, took time out to visit one of Purple Elephant’s twice weekly ‘Stay and Play’ sessions. He was joined at The Key Centre by Graham Puddy, Adrian Robson and Les Pickersgill, Freemasons of the Province of Somerset, who said he enjoyed playing with the mini transport mat, cuddly toys and ball pit almost as much as the young families.
Andy said, “We are very pleased to be able to help Purple Elephant, who do such an outstanding job offering support to their community. We agree wholeheartedly with Purple Elephant’s aims, that all children should have the same opportunities to become the best that they can be; indeed, one of Freemasonry’s core principles confirms that if you are able to offer assistance when it is needed, please do so. We are delighted to be supporting this great local charity over the next three years.”
