Mission Partner: Alternatives Trust

Thank you for bringing Christmas joy to the children of  Alternatives at the Toy Services on 21 November.  We are delighted to be supporting our mission partners Alternatives, based in East London, again this year. Alternatives has, along with the rest of the world, had a difficult 18 months.

The pressures of the pandemic and lockdown affected staff personally as well as professionally. Add to that the increased level of vulnerability to Covid of many of the families they support and navigating a leadership change within the charity. They have learnt how valuable a welcoming home environment is to the women and families they support. They have had a profound sense that they have not all been in the same boat and the children of those they support have often been the ones to suffer disproportionately. Many of Alternatives’ clients spent lockdown in insecure temporary accommodation, hostels and B&Bs with whole families sharing one room with no outdoor space.  

At Alternatives they want to make their base, Forrest House, into a home. To provide space for families to live and breathe, to cook and eat together. They know how important space has been over this year because it has been taken away, many never had it in the first place. Alternatives Trust East London is a small charity that empowers vulnerable families in the London Borough of Newham to transform their lives.  

A small, dedicated team gives long-term, intensive support to over 100 women and their children each year through the We Are Family (WAF) programme. This is centred on a weekly therapeutic group, which offers early intervention through parenting and life skills to 25-30 families each week.

Alternatives offers advocacy to address the causes of poverty, practical help like food and baby  equipment, one-to-one parenting support and counselling. Social enterprises run by mums increase employability and help women move on. We believe anyone can be a good parent, given the right support, and we aim to provide that support.  Find out more at altel.org.uk