Significant funding to support Newtownabbey families

Northern Ireland charity Brain Injury Matters (NI) has been awarded nearly £200,000 for their family first service from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the United Kingdom.
By Russell Keers
Published 14th Jan 2020, 12:15 BST
Joe Mc Vey (CEO, Brain Injury Matters), Mary Peoples (Parent of child who has used Family First Service) and Catherine Quinn (Associate Psychologist, Family First Team, Brain Injury Matters).Joe Mc Vey (CEO, Brain Injury Matters), Mary Peoples (Parent of child who has used Family First Service) and Catherine Quinn (Associate Psychologist, Family First Team, Brain Injury Matters).
Joe Mc Vey (CEO, Brain Injury Matters), Mary Peoples (Parent of child who has used Family First Service) and Catherine Quinn (Associate Psychologist, Family First Team, Brain Injury Matters).

The family first service – which supports families in the Belfast and Newtownabbey areas – is a collaborative venture, led by Brain Injury Matters (NI), in partnership with the psychology services at the Belfast Health and Social Trust supporting families whose child has an acquired brain injury (ABI).

The project launched in 2015 and has been funded to the tune of £199,959 by the National Lottery Community fund since its commencement.

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Joe Mc Vey, CEO of Brain Injury Matters, said: “This new fund further enhances our capability to deliver the Family First Service. By developing what we offer within this service, we are confident that this new fund will help us continue to meet family’s needs, offer additional support to siblings and deliver additional online services. We are delighted to have the continued support from the Lottery and to strengthen our partnership with the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.”

Kirsty Beggs who lives in Newtownabbey, said her son has received a lot of support from the initiative.

Kirsty explained: “As a family we have benefited from the family first team at Brain Injury Matters. Our son, Zach has got so much out of it. “Growing in his self-confidence and learning how to deal with the worries, fear and anxiety associated with having an acquired brain injury. It’s a reassurance to us as family knowing that this service is available and we are very grateful for it.”

For more information on the Family First Service contact Bridget Smyth (Children’s Services Manager of the Family first Service) at [email protected] or 02890705125 or visit www.braininjurymatters.org.uk

Related topics:National Lottery Community FundNorthern IrelandUnited KingdomNewtownabbey