Pulteneytown People's Project and HomeLink Caithness
Scottish Charity No. SC 033675
Limited Company No. 272750
Mum's Fun Group
Young mums in Wick agree that Monday is the best day of the week as this is when they can go to the PPP Mum's Fun Group.
Meeting for eleven in the morning until four thirty at night, the mums get a chance to bake, cook, help each other with their make-up, and also learn maths and budgeting skills to keep their households in order.
The girls choose what they want to do each week and simply love the mix of pampering and learning. Some of the mums are even registered for their ILA (Individual Learning Account) and hopefully the rest will be soon to follow.
From left: Rachelle MacNab (PPP Staff), Gina Douglas, Shelly Douglas, Katie Blackwell, Rena Polson (Staff), Leanne Colquhoun (PPP Staff), Laura Boyd with baby Ian, Angelea Edwards with baby Cody, Norma Green (PPP Staff).
The group has proven to be extremely popular. When the group first started there were three mums, but through word-of-mouth that number has grown to ten mums and their babies.
Activities
The mums get to do lots of fun activities such as baking and cooking, and are taught how to apply make-up, give Indian head massages, French manicures. Throughout all this staff are on hand to help the girls and teach them maths and budgeting through calculating the cheapest items to buy and how to best manage their financies. The lessons are taught in interactive, practical ways.
Some of the Mum's Group Work
The mums have been working hard lately making scrapbooks of what they have been doing whilst at Mum's Fun. The personalised scrapbooks contain photos of the girls learning maths and applying make-up, and also includes notes on what they feel about the group.
As part of the HALP 2011 conference, the Mums were asked to design a poster of all their activites for display at the venue. There is a competition for the best poster, so we've all got our fingers crossed that the girls win first place!
Funding
The Mum’s Fun Group runs every Monday and is free to attend. Funding was received from HALP (Highland Adult Literacies Partnership). For more information about this wonderful group please contact the Pulteneytown People’s Project on: (01955) 606950 or email p-p-p@btconnect.com
What the Mums Say
Erin Small: “I don’t know how I would have managed if I hadn’t come to Mum’s Fun. I’m sure I wouldn’t have coped very well. My confidence has really improved and I’ve made lots of friends since coming.
“We share experiences, learn how to do Indian head massages and French manicures; I feel much more independent now and have had lots of help from other areas of the PPP in filling out forms and things to do with my house.”
Angelea Edwards: “My confidence and budgeting skills have really improved lately and I have a really great time here.”
Tasha Munroe: “I would have really struggled without the PPP and I have learned such a lot from all the other mums who come here.”
Shelly Douglas: “The group has boosted a lot of people’s confidence and its great using these activities to help work out the price of things.”
Gina Douglas: “Since coming I’ve been a lot more confident doing things. Before Mum’s Fun I didn’t like doing things by myself, but now I can.”
Katie Blackwell said: “Mum’s Fun has been great. It’s helped me to get out of the house and I enjoy having adult conversations with the other mums.”
Laura Boyd: “Before I came I didn’t know what to do with my days. I just sat in the house and looked after my little baby all day. Now I’ve been studying maths and learning tips about make-up, cookery, and looking after the house.
“It’s a great way to get out and do something, and it’s good for the babies too as they can get out and play with other babies. It’s fantastic for both of us.”