Vale of Clwyd MP Dr James Davies has applauded a Rhyl charity which is providing a vital service to vulnerable women and their babies, after finding out more about their work during a visit last week.
‘Blossom & Bloom’ safeguards women with young babies in Rhyl and provides hands on help to change lives for the better.
It was started in November 2020 by founders Vicky Welsman-Millard and husband Lee.
The charity started off by welcoming mums and babies who were experiencing homelessness and supported them with emergency accommodation, kindness and care.
One year later, it was also providing the much-needed well-being support for women and babies to help them to thrive.
Having helped the charity secure funding from the UK Government’s Community Renewal Fund, last November James championed their work when speaking in the House of Commons and told how the funding had helped them extend their services.
Last week, James met with Vicky, Joanne Garratt, Outreach Project Manager and Louise Armstrong, Tenancy Move-on Coordinator, for an update on their work and was thanked by the team for his ongoing support for the charity.
Speaking after the visit, he said:
“Blossom and Bloom is a fantastic charity which has grown organically through need since its establishment in 2020.
“Sadly some women are quite literally left holding the baby and without family to support them can find themselves in a desperate position.
“I was told by Vicky and the team that approximately 80% of the families they help have a housing related support need.
"Following my meeting with Blossom and Bloom, I have set up a meeting with Denbighshire County Council to discuss these specific housing concerns."
Vicky said:
“The reason for the meeting with James was to thank him for his ongoing support to the charity and provide him with an update as to how we are getting on.
“I received a letter from James around this time last year to advise of the Community Renewal Fund funding availability to local charities and organisations in Denbighshire.
“It was this letter and further contact with James and his staff that encouraged me to make an application to the fund.
“We were later informed that we had been chosen as a Denbighshire approved project and had been successful with our application to receive £100k funding to deliver support via the Blossom & Bloom Outreach Project to 20 additional expectant mums or mums with a baby under two who live in Rhyl.
“The project is a six-month pilot project from January to June this year. We have successfully recruited four part-time well-being support officers, a tenancy move-on coordinator and a project manager and are now supporting 20 families in the area.”
She added:
“The mums that we support would make ideal private tenants. However, due to many of them being in receipt of an element of housing related benefits via Universal Credit, they aren’t given the same opportunities in the private sector as a couple or working family would.
“Some of our mums and babies are currently living in temporary accommodation provided by the local authority, are having to sofa surf with family or friends or are living in properties which require substantial improvements by landlords.
“Despite having both good and bad days our mums and babies remain positive and are thankful for the support being provided to them by Blossom & Bloom, the Local Authority, their Midwives and Health Visitors and other support services locally. Without this support the struggle would feel unmanageable for them I’m sure.
“If you are an expectant mum or a mum with a baby under two, are living in Rhyl and would benefit for some well-being help, advice or support then please contact our friendly team in Costigans, opposite the train station in Rhyl. Our referral form is also available on our website www.blossomandbloom.org.uk.”
