October 27 2014.


WAVES Family Support is a Seaford-based charity that provides essential support and advice to Seaford families in need, and there are many more of those than most people would imagine. It provides a drop-in in Church Street for young parents with babies and toddlers. It provides a listening service in some Seaford Schools for children who desperately need a listening ear. Its two family workers and team of volunteers meet parents to listen and advise, and also connect them with professional services. Now the WAVES team hope to be able to restart Seaford’s only parenting classes once again soon.

WAVES does not receive any central or government funding. It is funded entirely by the gifts of local people, local churches, grant applications and fundraising events. And, confusingly, it is not in any way linked to Wave Leisure, the district’s Sports Centre provider.

WAVES is supported by a number of local residents and they are extremely grateful for this support, but its costs are always rising. In order to keep the WAVES Centre open and pay their Family Workers, they are seeking support through their Mad4Families Campaign (Making a Difference 4 Families). They are aiming to secure 400 new supporters of the work, each donating £4 a month. This will go a long way to meeting these costs and help them to budget more efficiently and not rely so much on grant funding.

£4 a month equates to less than £1 a week over a year. Of course if anyone wants to give more than that they would be delighted, and gift-aiding is possible. For those who agree to offer this support they are giving a Mad4Families limited edition mug to mark their commitment.

WAVES Family Support (Seaford) is very happy to be one of the Seaford Mayor’s Charities this year along with Seahaven Storehouse. With the Mayor they are holding fund raising events in November. On November the 8th there is a WW1 Tea Party at 5.30pm and a Concert at 7.00pm at Seaford Baptist Church. Seaford Silver Band, the Archway Choir and Seaford Baptist Concert Choir have all generously donated their time and talents for this event. Tickets for the tea and concert will be £7.50 and for the concert only will be £5. They are available from the WAVES Centre, Seaford Baptist Church and the Seaford Tourist Information Centre. Proceeds will be shared between the Mayor’s two charities and Help for Heroes.

On 26th November, M&Co will be hosting a Fashion Show for the Mayor’s charities at their store in Broad Street. Tickets, at just £6, will be available from M&Co, the WAVES Centre and the TiC. The town’s support is eagerly encouraged!