Care for the Family to support families in Northern Ireland

Care for the Family is gearing up for the launch of its Community Representative programme, which is being trialled in Derry, ahead of the launch of a possible scheme throughout Northern Ireland.

The Derry-based Community Representative will be part of a team co-ordinating the charity's activity in Omagh, Strabane, Limavady and Coleraine.

Jean Gibson, Care for the Family's Northern Ireland manager, said, "It is increasingly important to support families," she said. "It is proven that strong family life underpins social improvements.

"When couples stay together, and parents are given the mechanisms to engage with their children, there is a corresponding drop in social inequality, and a reduction in antisocial behaviour, crime, drug dependency, and joblessness."

Through the Community Representative scheme, Care for the Family will offer vital services to families, including marriage-strengthening courses, parenting courses and the hugely successful How to Drug Proof Your Kids course for parents.

The plans for Community Representatives were announced three weeks ago at a reception breakfast at Stormont attended by Members of the Assembly. Members of every party expressed interest in the charity's work.

Rev Sam McGuffin, Chairman of The Derry Churches Trust welcomed Care for the Family's initiative, saying, "The Churches Trust has been discussing with Care for the Family how the organisation can best bring its superb range of programmes and expertise to the North West.

"We are thrilled that a core of five Care for the Family Community Supporters is going to be based in this region."

In addition, Rev McGuffin said, "We're delighted Care for the Family has included the city in its autumn scheduling with its thought-provoking evening for women. We look forward to an inspiring evening and to further promoting this excellent organisation's work locally."

Care for the Family is also running a special event for women in Derry, 'Reality - The Challenge of Forgiveness', which takes place on Wednesday 7 November.

The main speaker will be Lesley Bilinda, who was widowed in the Rwandan Genocide, and has since written two books about her courageous journey to discover the truth about what happened to her husband during the Rwandan genocide. 'Reality' takes place at The White Horse Hotel, 68 Clooney Road, on Wednesday 7 November from 7.30-10.00pm.

Tickets for 'Reality - The Challenge of Forgiveness' cost £6.00 and can be ordered by phoning (028) 9262 8050. More information about Care for the Family's work in Northern Ireland can be found at www.careforthefamily.org.uk/ni