- contactus@familieslikeus.org.uk
Become a Juniors Hero
Helping Families Like Us
Lesley Robertson started the Juniors Play Café in Hamilton in 2014, as part of Families Like Us (SCIO), a 2012 charity to aid families. Throughout these years she has provided a safe space for over 300 families in the area, offering play areas, book clubs, and free meals. That’s on top of regularly contributing to Hamilton Our Town and the annual Christmas parade.
Families Like Us was established with the objective of providing a support service for families, in particular single parent families and unemployed parents. Providing help and advice wherever necessary and to provide training and education to single parent families and unemployed parents to increase their employability.
Our mission is to provide services and support to families living in poverty to help them feed, educate, and support their children.
We're here to help
What Makes Us Different
Hot meals and warm food
No money required, no questions asked.
Counselling and Support
We have in-house counselling and access to a CBT therapist.
Book club and other activities
A fun environment for all members of the family to take a break.
Community market and trading
Bring your kids' old clothes and swap them out for something else.
Our Team
Lesley Robertson
Lesley Robertson started the Juniors Play Café in Hamilton in 2017. Lesley set up the organisation because she was unable to find the support and guidance she needed when she became a lone parent to her son. Drawing from her own experience of raising her son, Lesley has created a safe space for kids and parents, where support is offered without the stigma.
In those six years, she has provided a safe space for over 300 families in the area, offering play areas, book clubs, and free meals. That’s on top of regularly contributing to Hamilton Our Town and the annual Christmas parade.
When individuals are faced with raising children on their own, it can be a hugely isolating and difficult time. It can also be very stressful, so I wanted to create a place where mothers and fathers can take some time to relax, enjoy food and drink, while their kids play."
Support Our Cause
Backed by the MSP
One of the Juniors Heroes is Central Scotland MSP Monica Lennon, who told Lanarkshire Live:
It’s concerning to hear that the Scottish Government are pulling essential funding away from Juniors Play Café. For almost six years now, Juniors Café has acted as a community hub, which many local families have grown to rely on.
With the increased pressures of the cost of living crisis, it’s more important than ever that families have somewhere to go where they can seek advice, chat to other parents and simply feel less alone.
What We Do
Small donations make big impact on a child’s life!
Become a Juniors hero by donating where you can, and you can aid in a variety of services such as…
150 children
enjoyed day trips to Almond Valley and Ayr Beach
1,200 children
with access to free play each month
175 children
fully clothed this winter
5,000 children
provided with free activity books
150 children enjoyed day trips to Almond Valley and Ayr Beach
1,200 children with access to free play every month
175 fully clothed children this winter
5,000 children provided with free activity books
60 children provided with school uniforms
338 families living in poverty got a free Christmas dinner
300 families fed a hot meal every week
3,500 care packages with everyday essential items sent out to families in need this year
300 children/parents got to see their first ever pantomime for free
Our Mission
To aid families in poverty
Juniors Play Cafe has provided a safe space for over 300 families in the area, offering play areas, book clubs, and free meals.
It was established with the objective of providing a support service for families, in particular single parent families and unemployed parents. Providing help and advice wherever necessary and to provide training and education to single parent families and unemployed
parents to increase their employability.
0
%
Hamilton residents living in poverty
0
+
Average visitors a month to Juniors
