April 2 2009

Archbishop blesses new caravan for disadvantaged families

Families who struggle to afford holidays will be able to enjoy a free week at the seaside thanks to the church-based organisation, the Mothers’ Union.

A luxurious new static caravan, worth £30,000 and boasting central heating, was blessed at its prime spot in Trecco Bay Holiday Park, Porthcawl, today (April 2) by the Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan.

Funded and run by members of the Mothers’ Union, the sixth-birth caravan will be used by families and carers who rarely get the chance to enjoy a proper break. They are recommended to the Mothers’ Union by local churches and the social services.

This is the fourth caravan the Mothers’ Union has run at the popular site since the project began more than 20 years ago. It is funded by MU members in the Dioceses of Llandaff. The first few children to visit will be given a free Trecco Bay teddy bear to take home as a souvenir.

With the summer season starting on Saturday, the caravan is already almost fully booked through the holidays. A sign of the affect the credit crunch is having on families, says Raye (CORR) Saunders, Llandaff MU Action and Outreach coordinator.

She said, “When families are in financial difficulty, holidays are the first thing to go and we’ve definitely seen a rise in early bookings this year. We get people here who haven’t been on holiday for years and children who have never even had a holiday before. They are thrilled when they arrive and it’s a joy to see the excitement in their faces as they explore, run down to the beach and play safely around the caravan. You only have to read our visitors’ book to see how much it means to them.”

Dr Barry Morgan, who blessed the new caravan after a short service, said, “This is a tangible way in which churches are helping families in need. Most of us have happy memories of caravan holidays when we were children – even if they didn’t come complete like this one with microwaves, TVs and central heating! I am sure this caravan too will give many other families immensely happy holidays they will always remember.”

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