Forty-nine children, parents and friends joined Families Together Leeds at their Family Monster Picnic at St Peter’s Church Hall, Bramley.
.The free event was held on Halloween to celebrate charity Family Action’s 150th anniversary.
Local families, including those they support, were invited to bring a picnic and have fun spending quality time together.
Entertainment was provided by Bounce and Wobble and a slime making workshop was run by University Centre from Leeds City College. Other activities included salt dough monsters, hand prints, 10 minute raves, a colouring competition and rock decorating. The painted Family Action rocks will be hidden in a local park next week for children to find.
Family Action is a national charity with around 145 services across the country that support 45,000 families every year.
Janina Macheta, Operational Manager at Families Together Leeds, said:
“A picnic is a great way for families to spend quality time together in the fresh air that is easy and inexpensive. We were delighted that so many local families joined us at our Family Monsters picnic where they enjoyed themselves so much and made happy families memories together.”
David Holmes CBE, Chief Executive of Family Action, said:
“At the beginning of our 150th Anniversary we conducted some research about family pressures which found that one of the biggest challenges families face is not having enough quality time together. We organised the Family Monsters picnics to give families the opportunity to relax together, to talk and reconnect and above all have fun. We are thrilled that so many people came along to help us celebrate our anniversary.”
To mark its 150th anniversary the charity has launched its Family Monsters Project to help families with everyday challenges. It has started a national conversation about the everyday pressures on families or ‘family monsters’.
The campaign aims to get these pressures out in the open and to stop family monsters from becoming overwhelming by helping families find ways to talk about and face their pressures together. Family Action has also released a short film bringing family monsters to life.
Families Together Leeds offers family support, group support and volunteer support to families across the city of Leeds.