High Sheriff awards family and community projects in Stanwell

Stanwell Family Centre was in full swing when Dr Llewelyn arrived for a packed programme, starting with a tour of the building where health visitors were doing 27-month baby health checks.

The Family Centre’s manager, Janette Breese, guided the High Sheriff at the start of her visit, explaining that Surrey Care Trust runs the centre in partnership with Surrey County Council.

Dr Llewelyn said: “There is an excellent range of statutory services and those provided by the charitable sector all operating side-by-side, which is beneficial for the local community.

“Families can benefit from how the partners all work together through all sorts of activities, such as a social club for 5-12 year-olds with autism, counselling services, a sensory room, free legal advice clinics, speech and language therapy. There is also an outreach team helping about 20 families with complex needs.”

Dr Llewelyn presented well-earned certificates to parents who had completed a parenting course called 123 Magic and a woman who had completed the Freedom course and worked especially hard to turn her life around.

In addition, Dr Llewelyn toured the community allotment run by the Local Conversation in Stanwell project. The centre works closely with the initiative, which Monica Runke manages and the Trust oversees.

Monica showed the High Sheriff where they grow produce and a section dedicated to families to relax after working in the allotment and watch the children in a safe play area. On the day of her visit, there was a lot of joyful muddy play, supervised by parents and carers enjoying a cup of tea.

Dr Llewelyn gave a High Sheriff award to the project for its outstanding contribution to the local community. The volunteers also gave her lovely fresh produce, including eggs from their hens, and a hand-painted stone saying ‘Bee happy’.

She said: “it was a hugely enjoyable day and a great privilege to spend the morning with such inspirational people doing so much for their communities.”