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LIBBY DAWSON has lived all her life in Drumchapel in north west Glasgow and is bringing up her own three children there. Until the birth of her first baby, Libby worked full time – by her own admission she’s a real workaholic.
But then things changed significantly. She was diagnosed with post-natal depression, fuelled by a lack of confidence in being a new mum and feelings of isolation.
She was referred to 3D Drumchapel, a local charity which works with children and families. It’s not always been easy, but life for her and her family has improved ever since. Starting out with the baby massage group, she describes her first involvement with the charity: "They took me under their wing and welcomed me with no pressure. It felt easy to be there, I felt able to confide in them and I made new friends with other mums who remain good friends today."
Libby continued to be involved with 3D through the births of all three of her children and she sees the people there as part of her extended family. “I’ve not missed a mum’s group in 16 years – it’s my me time.”
Her role with 3D changed after she had her third child and she took part in a personal development course. “It switched a light on for me”. With newfound confidence, she jumped at the chance to volunteer with ‘Bairn Necessities’, a baby bank project which provides families with new and pre-loved clothing, toys and equipment. Libby has been instrumental in helping it grow from a few boxes in a cupboard to a larger operation with its own premises; she is part of the drive to develop it into a social enterprise and is leading the way with its operations and referral system.
Now she’s embarking on a community development course through 3D and has just started a new job. "3D helped to shape me and get me back to being the person I was. I can’t imagine Drumchapel without 3D – many would be lost without them."
Our grant is providing 3D Drumchapel with flexible funding at a key point in its development. The charity aims to move out of its rented space in a community centre and into dedicated premises with space to run its own outdoor nursery.
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