This week we’d like to help a mother and daughter called Anna and Casey.

Anna is a single mum of 4 children. She works as a school crossing guard, and is also a carer for her mum, who has Alzheimer’s.

Anna’s teenage daughter, Casey, has been struggling with her mental health. She was self harming and it all came to a head one day when her best friend found her on the train tracks. Fortunately, nothing happened and Casey is now getting support from child mental health services. She left school last year, and has been at home with her mum and grandma ever since. She spends lot of time visiting a local stable and helps to take care of the horses, which is where she is happiest.

There is an equine course that Casey wants to enrol in, which will give her qualifications to work with horses. She was planning to start this month. It was a big step for her... her and her mum had discussed it for months, they’d saved for the uniform and equipment, and even practised getting the train to and from the college to make sure Casey felt safe and comfortable. Her mental health worker was also supportive of the idea, saying it would give her something to focus on and look forward to.

But when they went to enrol, Anna found out the funding they thought Casey was eligible for is not available until her second year. They are able to get financial help with equipment for the course but not the course fees themselves – which Anna can’t afford.

Casey is devastated and her mum is desperate to find a way for her to do the course.

This family have so much on their plate, and we’d like to do something kind for them. The college has held her place for a few weeks, and we’d love to help raise the money she needs and give Casey a fresh start. 

(Image: Stock photo)