The accommodation at the Cottage is extensive and efforts are made to generate income from the use of the premises by outside agencies out with the times it is used for family work. Examples of this are rental for the use of rooms in the evenings and weekends to facilitate access visits for estranged parents and for meetings.
The centre has real, long standing connections to the communities around us and work hard to encourage and facilitate the coming together of all sectors within society to achieve the best outcomes for the most vulnerable children and families within them. The organisation has developed strong, positive relationships with businesses within the community and will draw upon these resources to offer continued opportunities, support and development of family’s needs.
As a placement provider for many colleges and universities we have a strong relationship with several further education establishments in the local and wider area and we will utilise these relationships to secure learning and training opportunities for families.
The staff of the Centre also organise fund raising campaigns throughout the year with the aim of raising monies to fund additional activities and/ or materials needed: for example resources for families such as food, beds, cookers, clothing, utilities.
An example of this is Christmas which can cause significant hardship and pressure to families who are already facing multiple difficulties. As an organisation we utilise these funds to provide family units with food, utilities, clothing and toys to reduce the likelihood of further crisis developing over a period where services are not fully operational.
The Cottage Christmas Appeal 2022 was able to provide essential support to 1998 children and their families who were experiencing significant hardship/crisis and living in the Kirkcaldy and surrounding areas.
The levels of practical support we offer families is only possible due to the generosity, commitment and dedication of individuals who came together across all sectors of society to make a difference where it mattered in our communities.
And Cottage Café aims to provide support during the school holidays for children and families living in the Kirkcaldy area who were experiencing poverty by providing them with a substantial nutritious meal. These are children who would normally have received free school meals within education but due to the holiday periods had no access to alternative food sources. Parents have a limited income and therefore were often unable to provide an additional meal and children were going without.
This project is funded by Cash for Kids, Café Inc, local Businessess and amazing individuals across our communities.