A WORCESTER woman is getting the wheels in motion for a new organisation that will provide surrogate grandparents to children.
Jane Potter came up with the idea of ‘grandfriends’ as a way of getting older people integrating with the younger generation after seeing several comments on parenting sites from people saddened by the children missing out on the grandparent experience.
The organisation will aim to give children an older person in their lives who will impart their wisdom. It is not intended as a babysitting service but a way of receiving mutual support for the family and grandfriend.
The 47-year-old has already had four people show their interest in becoming grandfriends and three families have approached her about utilising the scheme.
Mrs Potter has volunteered for many organisations such Age Concern, Sight Concern and Homestart, who help support families with children under five-years-old.
Having had experience in the volunteer sector and helped her husband with his own business, she plans to start the organisation in Worcestershire and hopes it will spread through the rest of the UK.
She said: “I have had many responses from people all around the UK and some comments can be viewed on simplesite.
“There are lots of discussions on parents websites about surrogate grandparenting So I am hoping also that another organisation might want to partner with me.
“Everybody says its a great idea and there isn’t anything currently running like this. I have a passion for seeing something like this up and running and like the idea of bringing the generations together for mutual benefit.”
Visit www.grandfriend.simplesite.com for more information on how to get involved.
