What are gingerbread groups ?
LONE PARENTS CITE LONELINESS AS THE WORST THING ABOUT BEING A LONE PARENT

Gingerbread Groups operate on the basis of self help…
A self help group allows people in similar situations to come together and share experiences, skills and knowledge, to help themselves and each other to gain mutual benefits.

Gingerbread self help groups offer…
A regular meeting place for lone parent families.
Information.
Emotional support.
Practical help with bringing up children alone
a chance to educate the community at large the needs of lone parents and the help provided by Gingerbread to improve the image of both.

Some of the benefits of a Gingerbread group…

End of isolation and loneliness.
Some people find bringing up  children alone a very isolating  experience. It may be more difficult to see friends or meet people due to childcare or financial arrangements. As part of a group you may have the opportunity to talk to others in similar positions and learn how they cope with difficulties as well as participating in social activities and events.

Increased learning, understanding, knowledge and expertise.
By sharing knowledge and working co-operatively members can gain a wider understanding  of issues affecting lone parent families.

Friendship and support.
Gingerbread groups are places where you can talk about problems to people who will be able to understand and help without judgement. Through mutual support friendships can develop.

Feelings of well being, increased self esteem and personal strength.
By tackling problems together and realising that they may have resources to help others, many lone parents feel uplifted and regain the self esteem and confidence that they may have lost. By helping others and taking on tasks as part of the group, members have claimed that this has helped them to move on in their own life.

Collective Action.
Being part of a group enables people to do things that would be difficult to manage by themselves. Often members swap skills, e.g one person will decorate another's house in return for some child-caring time. Some groups have baby-sitting or transport circles and others share resources like books or toys.

And importantly… groups can provide fun…

Tunbridge Wells Gingerbread Group
WELCOME.

This is your local group, we will be holding our first meeting 13th February 2002 and is to be held upstairs in Mc Donald's,  Tunbridge Wells town centre. This meeting is to formally set up the group and introduce people to gingerbread and what it stands for.

During this meeting we will be asking for people who would be willing to sit on the group committee for the first 6 months until there can be a group election to formally create a committee.

Also to be discussed is ideas for activities, and what people would like to get out of the group as a whole. This is your group and for it to be a success every one will need to get involved in one way or another.
Lastly alto to be discussed is possible regular locations for the group meeting's and any ideas would be gratefully accepted.

If for any reason you can not make the meeting but would still like to be a part of the group, please could you contact me so you can be kept informed of what is happening.

WHAT CAN GINGERBREAD OFFER YOU? - AN EXTENDED FAMILY… FRIENDSHIP, PRACTICAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT… CONFIDENCE AND SELF ESTEEM.