SIR — I am writing to express our deepest gratitude to the Alexandra Rose Day Charity for awarding Friends of the Family’s ‘5s to 13s Project’ a Special Appeal Fund grant of £1,000.

The new 5s to 13s Project is a valuable befriending service which provides non-judgemental support to vulnerable families and their children aged five to 13 in the Winchester area.

Trained volunteers visit a family on a weekly basis in their own home, offering friendly one-to-one practical and emotional support for as long as a family needs it.

The Special Appeal Fund grant that has been awarded to this project has been allocated to support the comprehensive training programme that all new volunteers are asked to complete.

These training programmes run regularly throughout the year and the next one is planned for January 2009. If anyone would like more information about this project or is interested in becoming a volunteer, then please contact Samantha Hunt on 01962 864466.

Samantha Hunt (Project leader), Friends of the Family (Winchester), Friends Meeting House, Colebrook Street, Winchester.