Support group for young families secures £16,000 grant
A community group offering support to young families in Shropshire has secured nearly £16,000 in funding from the National Lottery.
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Teens with Tots, which was set up by Jodi King after her own experiences giving birth as a teenager, has been awarded the grant by the National Lottery Community Fund and "Awards for All" programme.
The support group based in Shrewsbury seeks to aid young families and expectant mothers, and is "dedicated to helping young parents build friendships, confidence, and self-esteem while addressing critical issues such as mental health, isolation, and anxiety".
As a result of the funding Teens with Tots says it will be able to offer offer support including budgeting assistance, cooking nutritious, low-cost meals, arts and crafts activities, motivational support for mums, and to provide a listening ear.
Founder Jodi says her goal is to "empower young families, helping them build life skills that have been lost to hereditary deprivation".
Adding: "Teens with Tots is dedicated to helping build friendships, and confidence, supporting parents to raise happier, healthier, and more independent families."
The group's founder, who said she has experienced the "challenges young mums face" said she is "incredible grateful" for the funding and support from local businesses who have helped make her project possible.
In July, Jodi's three-year-old grandson Karter Burris-King, raised £1,100 for Teens with Tots by walking up Caer Caradoc hill.
Jodi also revealed that she will be launching a new project called "Mothership Mentoring" that will be "dedicated to empowering all mothers by offering real-life, non-judgmental support at every stage of motherhood".
The mentoring will "provide practical guidance based on lived experiences, helping mothers navigate challenges through empowerment, community-building, and access to essential services such as health professionals, breastfeeding groups, and nurseries".
Their approach includes assisting mothers with tasks including budgeting and cooking, and Jodi is looking to recruit and train volunteers, build local partnerships, and develop workshops.
Further information on the group can be found on Teens with Tots' Facebook page.
