The 2023 annual general meeting of the Bassuah Legacy Foundation
A Shepherds Bush charity is appealing for more volunteers, and donations to its shop, as it works to support single parents and their families.
The cost-of-living crisis coupled with the pandemic has increased the workload of the Bassuah Legacy Foundation, based in Goldhawk Road.
Chief executive Christina Konadu explained: "Our journey has just begun. With help we can touch a lot of single parents and their dependents who are in great need in our community."
The charity's targets are to empower families by raising awareness of single parenting and countering any stigma, improving health and wellbeing, building confidence and motivation and reinforcing community cohesion.
As well as the branch in west London, there is a second in Ghana, where family needs include providing clean water, basic education, business skills and hygiene products.
Founded in 2019
Dr Konadu founded the charity in 2019 having been a single parent herself. She said: "Families we help have been hit hard. Having lived the challenges as a single parent, I now want to help build the safe space and source of support I lacked."
She paid tribute to families' resilience and thanked her volunteer team. "In the coming years, we want to grow as a charity and hopefully start to take on paid staff so we can reach more people and make more of an impact," she added.
How to support
In practical terms, people can support the charity's work by donating quality clothes and goods to the shop, which supplies so much of the working income.
Local residents can also help by joining the volunteer crew, or by referring single-parent families in need.
"Anyone can come to the shop and make themselves known," said Dr Konadu. "If you can support us financially that really helps as we want to hire someone to manage the shop."
She said that the urgency for help was growing as "generally single-parent households are in need, and when children are at home they eat more and require more support".
The shop is in Goldhawk Road, near the junction with Titmuss Street. Donations can be dropped off, and single-parent households in need can make contact.
"Clothing is popular as well as accessories and small household items," said Dr Konadu. "The shop is open every day of the week except Tuesday, and the hours are noon to 8pm."
The Bassuah Legacy Foundation's shop is located at 90 Goldhawk Road, W12. Visit the Bassuah Legacy website, or follow the charity on Instagram @bassuahlegacy.
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