Shelley’s Story – Return to School Grants
The term ‘Back to School’ can often bring with it feelings of dread for many parents due to the rising costs of new school uniform and equipment. From school jumpers to PE kits and book bags, kitting out children for the new term can be a stressful time.
To ease this worry for parents, Racing Welfare are bringing back the ‘Return to School’ grant, initially launched in September 2020. The grant offers eligible families £100 per child to assist with those expenses.
Shelley who works as a yard person in Malton and received the grant in 2020 talks to us about her experience and how it has helped to ease the financial burden:
I first heard about the grant on Facebook. I messaged my local welfare officer about the grant when I saw it and she sorted it out for me. This was the first grant I received through the charity and my welfare officer was brilliant. It was so quick to come through, I didn’t have to wait too long to receive it and it wasn’t hard work. I had to send screenshots of my bank balance but nothing too invasive! It didn’t even take a week to come through – just a few days.
“I have one child and one on the way. It really helped, cardigans alone were £25 plus PE kits and school bags, it all adds up and the grant helped to cover those costs.
“Since I had my daughter I’ve had to go part time so obviously my wage has gone down a hell of a lot and I don’t get as much overtime. I’ve been getting universal credit but if my partner goes racing I get deducted on my universal credit so he’ll benefit but I don’t and I end up worse off so it has been a massive help.”
Since receiving the Return to School grant, Shelley has applied for additional grants through Racing Welfare to further ease the pressure. She adds:
“I got the spring grant and my welfare officer said I’d be eligible for the emergency COVID grant as well. I’ve been on furlough and I’ve gone into my overdraft so Racing Welfare have been an absolute God send.
Shelley talks passionately about the support she has received and the work carried out by her welfare officer as well as the breadth of support that is available through Racing Welfare:
“I’ve had a couple of bad falls at work in the past and if my back is hurting they have funded physio for me at Jack Berry House, that’s another amazing thing that Racing Welfare has done.”
If you would like more information on the Return to School grant you can click here or call us for free on 0800 6300 443. The Support Line is open 24/7 and is fully confidential.
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