Castletown Young Mothers Project Open Day Tuesday 16th February

14th February 2010

A Young Mother's Project that was launched late last year in the Castletown area, is to hold an open morning in the Castletown Hotel on Tuesday 16th February. The event will run from 10:00 to 12:00 and is for all Young Mums in the Castletown and surrounding areas. There will be food and refreshments provided by the chef at the Castletown Hotel, free hair and beauty treatments and arts and crafts for children.

The Ormlie Community Association (OCA) is already running a very successful Young Mums group in the Thurso area, with over 20 Mums attending. The Castletown Project is being run jointly by OCA and Home-Start Caithness, with the Castletown Hotel allowing the group to use the Hotel premises. The aim of the project is to help develop young mothers through a variety of life skills, which would equip them for the future once their children reach school age. The group is led by the Mums - they decide what they would like to get out of life and identify the support that they need to achieve their aims.
Claire Clark, Young Mums Project Coordinator remarked 'We believe that one of the reasons why the project has been so successful is the partnership approach that has been taken. OCA works closely with health visitors, midwives, Home-Start Caithness, social work, Careers Scotland, Community Learning & Leisure Services and the Childcare and Family Resource Partnership. The mothers work on the development of the programme and over the first year have held a number of diverse sessions including yoga, ready steady cook, self defence, hair and beauty sessions, interior design as well as self development.

Naomi Watson, Coordinator at Home-Start Caithness points out:"the Castletown group is very informal. It is a chance to have a break from the kids, to have a chat with other mums and to spend some time focusing on yourself. Life with children can be demanding and you can often lose track with what you would like to get out of life. The aim of the group is to make the journey through life fulfilling and enjoyable and to help give children the best start possible."

"We are delighted to support the OCA and Home-Start Caithness through providing a venue for the group to meet, as well as food and refreshments. It is great to see the hotel being used by the local community and being part of community life here in Castletown", said Andrew MacKay, joint owner of the hotel.

The group meets every Tuesday from 10:00 to 12:00 in the Castletown Hotel. Childcare is provided free by the Casper Club. For more information, please contact Claire Clark on 077637 61727 or Naomi Watson on 01955 606222.

Ormlie Community Association (OCA) has spearheaded a regeneration project for the last 10 years, addressing a wide range of social, environmental and economic problems linked to the Ormlie estate. The area was designated a social inclusion area and was hugely stigmatised by lack of investment and support from the statutory agencies. Through hard work and determination by OCA, the Ormlie estate is now no longer in the top 15% of Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) figures.

OCA works with all sectors of the community to help develop the skills and knowledge of residents thus empowering them to have a voice in their community. We also work with a range of agencies/partners to help bring about change to the estate through project specific initiatives.

Ormlie Community Association on the web at - www.ormlie.org

Home-Start Caithness was set up in Caithness in 1999. Across the UK more than 15,000 Home-Start volunteers visit families at home each week, supporting parents in situations as diverse as isolation, bereavement, multiple births, illness, disability or who are just finding parenting a struggle. They provide non-judgemental practical and emotional support and help build the family's confidence and ability to cope. Home-Start runs more services and has more volunteers supporting more families than any other family support charity in the UK.

HomeStart Caithness on the web at -
www.caithness.org/community/healthandwelfare/homestart/index.htm