Clacton Pier has offered a free day out to local children and families supported by Barnardo’s, as part of the charity’s child poverty campaign.
Dozens of children, young people and parents from Clacton visited the Pier on Monday 18th August, with free access to the rides and attractions as well as complimentary food and drink.
The generous donation, equivalent to over £2000, comes as Barnardo’s highlights the impact of child poverty on families’ ability to afford fun summer days out.
The charity’s latest child poverty campaign, Two Sides of Summer, has shown how over 4.5million families in the UK have had to cut spending on leisure activities due to financial worries. This has left millions of children without fun summer memories, which are crucial to their wellbeing and happiness, as well as parent’s mental health suffering too.
Barnardo’s is one of the organisations that runs the Sydney House family hub in Clacton, working with dozens of local families who are living in poverty, as well as a range of other challenges. Clacton is one of the worst-hit areas for child poverty in the East of England, with data from the Department for Work and Pensions showing that almost half (49%) of the children in Jaywick and West Clacton are in poverty.
Across the UK, Barnardo’s has supported families whose children are sleeping on floors with broken beds, who can’t afford new uniform to go to school and who are reliant on foodbanks to be able to feed their children. With such huge financial pressures, the simple fun of a family day out is completely beyond reach.
Kay Robinson, Team Manager at Sydney House family hub, said: “The families we work with are facing unbelievable levels of poverty – it is truly heartbreaking that this is going on in our communities. This donation from Clacton Pier means that, for at least one day, these families will be able to forget about their money worries and make some happy memories together.”
Nigel Brown, Communications Manager at Clacton Pier, said that the attraction was delighted to team up with Barnardo’s to give the families a day to remember.
“So many of us take a day out for granted but for some it is a real treat – and everyone deserves a treat now and again,” he added.
“As soon as Barnardo’s approached us we wanted to be involved in their campaign, and our suppliers – Bookers and Websters – have come on board providing all the food and drink. We have made sure these families have some very special memories together from their day out at Clacton Pier.
“When you hear a child tell their parent they have just had the best day ever, it makes it all worthwhile.”
