Oh my… I’m not sure how to feel about my legacy after all this time! On one hand, I’m immensely proud that the charity I helped to found all those years ago is still helping people.
We first founded the Charity Organisation Society to try and ensure that financial aid and charitable donations were spent in the way that best benefitted families, and minimised the effects of poverty. I can see that through initiatives like the Family Action Fund, Toy Appeal, FOOD programmes and the National School Breakfast Programme Family Action is still carrying on that proud legacy today.
On the other hand, I was no stranger to misfortune, and my family lost its comfortable lifestyle when my father’s investments failed and he abandoned my family. Although this gave me the experiences that would shape my life and purpose. I’m sad that families today are still struggling with the same financial insecurity we had in my time… I suppose the more things change, the more they stay the same.
And how Family Action has changed! Today its work is so much broader in scope: broad enough to cover areas such as perinatal support, childhood trauma and adoption.
“How Family Action has changed! Today its work is so much broader in scope: broad enough to cover areas such as perinatal support, childhood trauma and adoption.”
I’m so pleased this is the case, as I always advocated that “new circumstances require various efforts”, and I’m pleased that the charity has not stagnated, and has instead followed the spirit and purpose we established all those years ago
In the early days of the COS, we relied heavily on volunteers and ensured they were trained to the highest standard, so much so that we helped to shape what Social Workers would later become.
Today Family Action’s volunteers seem to be equally valuable, with trained volunteers working in services like FamilyLine bringing their varied life experiences to the role to better support those they work with.
I was once a teacher, and I suppose I never lost the passion for it… I’m pleased that the lessons of resilience and community I was trying to convey have inspired so much good for so long.
