Gavin Williamson MP today attended a fun day held by KOSSMIC at Ounsdale High School which was supported by South Staffordshire Housing Association.
South Staffordshire Housing Association has helped to fund a summer of fun for more than 230 young people, organised by a children’s charity the Prime Minister has praised.
Wombourne’s KOSSMIC (Kids of South Staffordshire Making It Count) project has run four weeks of activities for 10 to 16 year olds during the summer holidays thanks to funding from South Staffordshire Housing Association (SSHA).
To celebrate the end of the summer project Wombourne KOSSMIC held a family fun day at Ounsdale High School, Ounsdale Road, on Wednesday, August 24, which was attended by South Staffordshire MP Gavin Williamson and his family.
Commenting on the fun day Gavin Williamson said: "It was fantastic to see all the hard work and the community coming together for the family fun day. A great time was had by all and I hope that we can have more opportunities as great as this in South Staffordshire'
Gavin Williamson MP has praised the work of KOSSMIC, which was set up in 1998, to David Cameron PM who wrote to the organisers praising their hard work.
The letter from David Cameron PM stated: “It is fantastic to hear about your passion and dedication to supporting young people in South Staffordshire. I was particularly interested to hear that KOSSMIC has volunteers of a variety of ages working with young people, which I believe is especially valuable for the whole community. I would like to congratulate you and all the KOSSMIC volunteers on what you have achieved.”
Julie Collins, who founded Wombourne KOSSMIC, said: “It was nice to get that recognition. It is a great charity to be involved with because I get as much from the charity as I put in. It’s always fulfilling to see the young people enjoying themselves.
“We have felt the pinch of funding cuts on charities so we have started doing more fundraising activities like bag packs at supermarkets. The sponsorship we receive from organisations like SSHA is essential for us to continue to make a difference to young people’s lives.”
Funding helps the charity to offer drop-in sessions where youngsters can socialise, play games such as pool or archery and try activities including drama and dance. Young people can also train to act as mentors to younger children.
Jan Goode, director of customer services at South Staffordshire Housing Association, said: “It’s a fantastic charity for us to support as it provides facilities to a lot of young people living in the community, and I’m delighted it has received such a high profile recommendation as from the Prime Minister.
“We’re keen to promote the role young people play in our communities and KOSSMIC gives youngsters enjoyable opportunities to learn new skills and build their confidence.”
More than 230 children registered to take part in the KOSSMIC programme of events this year.
For more information on Wombourne KOSSMIC visit www.wombournekossmic.co.uk