Community
28 July, 2024
Wanted: ‘Pyjama angels’
TWO Cairns volunteers are inviting more people to step up and become a 'pyjama angel' to change the lives of FNQ children in foster care.
As Australia celebrates National Pyjama Day, local volunteers (better known as pyjama angels) Lucy Friend from Koah and Nicole Senn of Bayview Heights are calling on the Cairns community to become a volunteer and join the Pyjama Foundation’s angel training on August 4 at IFYS Foster Care to bring joy to local children in foster care.
Ms Friend, who is a local environmental scientist, started as a volunteer at the foundation five years ago with a desire to become a foster mum but due to her busy schedule she opted for becoming a pyjama angel and she said it had changed her life.
“I had a friend who joined the Pyjama Foundation and I’ve always wanted to do foster care but I’m not quite ready because of my many commitments but I thought by joining I could still support children in foster care,” she said.
“I love kids, and I know kids in foster care have a really complex set of problems that go back to the lack of having reliable people to depend on and I wanted to help, even if it’s in a small way.
“My kid knows I’m coming every week. He knows that I’m there for him. For these five years I’ve been working with the same kid, and we still catch up every week.”
Since her arrival at the Pyjama Foundation, Ms Friend has recruited another four pyjama angels, including her close friend Nicole Senn, who has now been with the foundation for a year .
“Being a pyjama angel is so beneficial to the community and the kids that are involved but also, from my experience, it has been incredibly beneficial to me,” Ms Senn said.
To join the August 4 training day, you must apply to become a volunteer at
www.thepyjamafoundation.com After completing the process you will be invited to the training session.
