This morning I visited the Portsmouth Family Welfare Association at the Carnegie Library in Fratton Road. The PFWA had contacted me as they are running out of money and they were furious, rightly so, at MP’s expenses when they are so short. This is an organisation which has been running for 106 years and gives people, who have absolutely nowhere else to go, clothes, shoes, basic household items and, in some cases, food. However this valuable service which looks after our most disadvantaged families may have to close before Christmas if no money can be found.

There are only two part time workers managing a storeroom full of clothes and shoes organised into sizes. They also have crockery, saucepans, sheets etc to give to people who have been given a flat but have no money to furnish it. This year so far they have helped 65 new families and another 92 families who have come back for further assistance, often referred by social workers or agencies like Sure Start.

Sadly it is very difficult to raise money and filling in forms for grants is a full time job as every charity knows and many are not allocated all the money they have asked for. It is organisations like Portsmouth Family Welfare Association which are providing a vital service at very little cost to the taxpayer and we must find ways of ensuring their survival especially during hard times.

If you can volunteer your time or would like to help financially, please contact them at Carnegie Library, Fratton Road, Portsmouth PO1 5EZ or telephone 023 9281 1407 for further information. I know they need help with Christmas parcels and I am looking forward to getting involved.