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Our
History:
We started
campaigning and supporting other grandparent carers in 2001.
The group Grandparents As Parents (G.A.P.) was founded in 2002
and started as a small local support group for grandparents
who were full time carers to their grandchildren in the
Blackpool & Fylde area.
Since 2003 the support group
grew and helped grandparents not just in Blackpool but .carers
living in St Annes, Cleveleys, and Fleetwood
In
2004 Linda reailised that kinship care was a UK
issue and also a world wide one and so started making links
with other support groups in America ,New Zealand, Australia,
France etc . November 2004 also saw the launch of the
first GAP website which attracted members from all over the
UK. and abroad. It was then that we realised that the
issues kinship carers faced were not getting any
better, the only way to change government policies was
through campaigning.
In February 2006 GAP changed its
role to become an independant campaign group,which
would fight for the rights of not just grandparent
carers but all kinship carers. Supported an e-petition of
Michael robinsons for "Grandparents rights"1,673 individuals
and representives of other organisations signed this petition
Michael Robinson also started supporting our campaign for all
legal rights for grandparents including contact.
2007
We added a forum to our site which has been a great
success with over a thousand members! We raised
awareness of our issues by having open days at the local
stores and speaking at womens meetings ,Sure Start ,and in
local community centres.
2008 In January the government response
to the petition was unsatisfactory so emailed hundreds of MPs
Gap then posted another online e-petition. Campaigned
and lobbied and worked with a network of grandparent support
groups to get signatures.We also supported an early day motion
which saw only 53 out of 646 Mps support the bill (EDM
1199-Grandparents rights) see http://www.thecustodyminefield.com/21.html
2009 Liaised with Michael Robinson
(Custody Minefield) Planned a 150 mile walk to raise awareness
.Spoke on radio lancashire took part in several pieces of
research .turned down council funding. Had articles in the
gazette and weekly magazines. Invited to Lancaster House But
didnt go. Gave over a thousand leaflets out and sent posters
to several sure start centres.
2010 Started a
grandparents as parents Facebook. Joined forces with other
kinship carers groups, Helping and publicising the "kinship
carers walk of Justice" which will take place on the 1st June
from Berwick upon Tweed and end in London on the 16th
June .
Liaised with Risley & Hall solicitors. who will kindly
give information and legal advice to our members via the forum
and also through facebook. .
G.a.p.
have also supplied information to BBC & ITV various
Radio stations and magazines.We have also supplied
information to many researchers, and spoken re kinship
carers rights to different groups throughout the UK and
on many radio stations : We appeared on the BBCs
politics show with Frank Fields (MP for Wirral). Have helped
and published research and information,on our websites, and
continued to campaign ceaselessly for all kinship carers
rights.
All expenses
for running Gap are met by members of my family,
membership of our group is free..
This site is
managed by Linda McEvilly & Anthony
McEvily
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