Sponsored Editorial
A local charity helped a young girl with Cerebral Palsy follow her dream by believing in her when she didn’t believe in herself.
Molly McCready always wanted to work in an office.
However after leaving school she found it difficult to talk to people.
She was anxious and shy and didn’t know how to achieve this.
Molly said: “When I left school I was nervous. My mum encouraged me to volunteer at Old Kilpatrick Food Parcels.
“My first shift went well and I met some nice people.”
Within six months she had a job for a year, funded by Working4U.
Support
And with the support from OKFP volunteers and staff, Molly’s confidence grew.
“Working at OKFP helped with my confidence. I now have conversations with strangers which was something I could never do before.
“It also made me realise how lucky I am and taught me not to take things for granted.”
Helping at the charity helped Molly understand more about the people who use it, why they need help and how people can find themselves in challenging situations.
Molly said: “The people who use OKFP are not people I thought would use it.
“They are all different and don’t want to be using it but due to circumstances, they find themselves here.”
She hopes she made as big a difference in people’s lives by working at OKFP as it made in her life.
“I have mild to moderate Cerebral Palsy. It affects my speech and my learning.
“So I didn’t think I could get a good job. I’ve proved I can and now I’m moving on to college.”
Without the help and support from everyone at the charity, she would have struggled to achieve her dream.
Maureen Cummings, founder of OKFP, was one of the people who played a massive part in her development.
Self-Belief
Molly said: “Maureen believed in me when I never believed in myself and offered me a job when I didn’t think I’d ever get one.
“I feel I can face anything now.”
Maureen is sad to see Molly go but knows it’s the right time for her to take the next step in her journey.
She said: “It’s bittersweet, the selfish part of me doesn’t want Molly to go because I’ve become like a wee surrogate Mum to her.
I’m not quite ready to let her out into the big bad world, but the girl she is this year is so much stronger than she was last year.
“She has to go and learn new skills that we can’t offer her here, but she will remain a part of the OKFP family and is welcome back any time.”
Molly hopes to return and volunteer in-between her studies and wants to extend a special message to her co-workers and customers.
She said: “Everyone has been so supportive to me. I am going to miss them all.
“I want to thank them for helping me move on, it feels good to know I have their support in my next chapter.”
If you need food support, a safe place to go for a chat or are interested in volunteering, visit OKFP Station Road Industrial Estate, Old Kilpatrick, or contact Maureen Cummings at OKFP on
07916310806.
