Shirley McPhillimy came and spoke to the Club on how she became involved in the Coleraine Child Contact Centre. National Association of Child Contact Centres
This is a centre which provides a safe, friendly and neutral place where children, regardless of race or religion, of separated families can spend time with one or both parents and sometimes other family members.
The centres are manned by trained, impartial volunteers who have been police checked. The volunateers are there to facilitate the meetings but remain in the background allowing the relationship between child and family member to be established and grow.
The centre is a place where solutions can be found for situations where trust and respect have been destroyed. People come to the centre by referral through the Courts or Social Services or by other advice centres or by word of mouth. While there are a number of other centres in Northern Ireland there are some areas which have no easily accessible centre. Some of those using the Coleraine centre travel from Ballycastle.
President Olive is a volunteer at the Coleraine contact centre. She confirmed that the work was very rewarding although at times it could be distressing.