SMILE Lone Parent Fair 2024

Good old-fashioned fun was the order of the day at the SMILE Lone Parent Fair 2024. Exactly 200 parents and children spent the afternoon away from the challenges of parenting alone to relax and be pampered!

A big shout out to everyone who made it possible to put on this free annual event including: St James’ Church Poole, Poole Food Bank, Parkstone United Reformed Church, St Mary’s Longfleet, Reconnect Community, The Friendly Food Club, Mark Lavous photography, Jules the Entertainer, Haskins, Skills and Learning, Safe Families, The Autonomy Hotline, Pizza With Love,  and last but not least, all the incredible volunteers who tirelessly gave their energy, it wouldn’t be possible to put on this free event without your support.

There was face painting, traditional fair games, a pamper parlour, sizzling BBQ, perfect pizzas and delicious bean burritos cooked by The Friendly Food Club. Yum!

Haskins kindly provided a gardening space where families could pot their own summer bedding plants to take home, nurture and grow.

All ages were catered for from the free creche to provide parents with a break, the vibrant circus skills area to the teenage chillout zone providing a safe space for older siblings to hang out.

Skills & Learning, Safe Families and The Autonomy Hotline provided advice and support for the daily challenges faced by many.

With BBQ, fresh pizza and bean burritos eaten, circus skills practiced, faces painted, plants potted, family photos taken, lots of cake eaten, teenagers relaxed, parents pampered and families making new friends and catching up with old ones, this year’s Lone Parent Fair scored highly yet again!

The SMILE Lone Parent Families project provides activities, support and friendship to lone parent families – find out more below…

Connect with SMILE on their Facebook group below…