NSPCC Northern Ireland’s Foyle Service Centre has received a make-over thanks to a cash windfall from an anonymous benefactor and volunteer painters from local branches of Tesco.
For over 30 years, the Foyle Service Centre at the Glendermott Road in the Waterside has been providing children and young people in the north west with confidential and specialist therapeutic services to help them move on from abuse as well as supporting parents and families in caring for their children.
An anonymous benefactor recently donated the cost of purchasing paint to renovate the reception and workrooms of the historic building in Derry.
Staff from three Tesco stores in the city generously donated their time to carry out the work at the Glendermott Road site, which was built in 1840.
The premises houses 20 staff and the Derry centre delivers programmes such as “Letting the Future In”, a therapeutic intervention for children aged 4 – 17 who have been sexually abused.
Innovative new services such as “Protect and Respect”, which protects young people from sexual exploitation will soon be introduced at the service centre. Another new service in the pipeline aims to keep children safe while online.
A daily hub of activity, the service centre has four rooms and a large group work room with toys and craft materials to aid in therapeutic play and recovery.
Service Manager Sharon Breslin said: “We are so grateful and humbled by the very kind donation from the benefactor who has made it possible to purchase paint for the service centre.
“And also to the staff and management at Tesco in the city for volunteering their time and energy in painting parts of the service centre.
“The immediate impression is always a striking one when a child or young person enters our building.
“It can make a difference between feeling welcomed and at ease or not. Feeling at ease is an essential pre-requisite for any young person or child in the recovery process. On behalf of all our staff and the children and families who avail of our services, I say a massive thank you for helping us create an environment in which recovery from sexual abuse is possible.”
For further information on the services provided by the NSPCC, visit https://www.nspcc.org.uk/services-and-resources/childrens-services
For help and support if you are worried about a child, contact our helpline 24/7 on 0808 800 5000.
Pictured above, from left, Fiona Crossan, NSPCC children’s services practitioner; Michael Ferguson, NSPCC team manager; Kevin McColgan, Tesco’s Express Crescent Link; Tommy Brown Community Champion Tesco’s Express Crescent Link; Michael Brown, manager Tesco’s Express Crescent Link, plus Sarah Quinn, NSPCC senior centre administrator
If you have a story or want to send a photo or video to us please contact the Derry Now editorial team on 028 7129 6600 for Derry City stories Or 028 7774 3970 for County Derry stories. Or you can email editor@derrynews.net at any time.