School yard partnership benefits parents



L-R Ella Evans - One Rhyl project, Sam Jones -Want to Work & mum Kate Lonsdale



Mums & Dads at Ysgol Mair boarded the Step up Bus in a week long project to support parents who are looking to go into work, training or simply wanted to save money or maximize their incomes.  Along with a number of agencies  & partners including: Want to work, One Rhyl project, Open Doors, Rhyl Library & Train to change the bus spent a week encouraging parents in the school yard to access a number of  local support services in one place.

Mum Kate Lonsdale said: “I’ve managed to take a step forward in my goal to go into work by simply hopping on board the bus and at the same time saved myself £130.00!”

Headmaster Stuart Plunkett said that, ‘’Ysgol Mair Catholic Primary School was very pleased to welcome the Step Up bus and its staff to our school. The School Gates initiative plays a very important role in raising awareness of the variety of local services available to support our parents. We look forward to the step up bus returning in June’’.

Debbie Holmes, Development Officer for South West Rhyl Communities First and project manager of the bus said: “The school gates initiative is not a new concept however it enabled us to reach out to non working & working parents who traditionally do not access local services and we see it as a way of accelerating progress towards reducing child poverty, fuel poverty & in work poverty. Due to the success of the project we will be back at the school in June, July & September”