MUMS face losing two support workers from an Oxford charity providing accommodation to vulnerable mothers.

For the past 30 years, national pregnancy care charity LIFE has run a house in Stratford Street, East Oxford, offering accommodation to single mums and their babies who would otherwise be homeless.

It is home for up to five mums and offers on-site support by two part-time support workers, who help mums get to grips with skills including budgeting, cooking, health and and career advice.

However, the charity, which also has a house in Didcot, has missed out on additional £35,000 Government funding that pays for the support workers.

It is appealing to the public for money to continue providing at least one support worker, and needs volunteers to help run the centres, either as a young parent’s supporter or administrator.

Sarah Finch, Oxford Life Care Centre Manager, said the £35,000 had been provided by the Government’s Supporting People programme, which helps vulnerable people improve their quality of life.

She said: “The house can continue because we still have a lease for over a year, but there will be no one on site. There will be a floating support worker, but it is not the same as someone on-site every day and they won’t be able to deliver the life skills programme.”

She said there was a possibility support workers at the Didcot site could be affected, although it had not been confirmed.

She added: “Without this project a number of underprivileged, unskilled mothers will struggle to maintain their tenancies and will be unable to acquire those skills which could see them in employment, out of the debt cycle and successfully looking after their children.”

LIFE receives referrals from social services, local authority homeless departments and other agencies.

One of Mrs Finch’s support workers, also called Sarah, 45, became pregnant at 19 and found herself homeless. The Kidlington mum heard about the charity through a work colleague.

She was offered a room and gave birth to Gemma, now 25, six weeks later. In time, relations with her family improved and she was able to move out when Gemma was 10 months old.

Sarah, now 45, has been a support worker at the charity for the past 18 months after seeing the position advertised in the Oxford Mail.

She said: “It has been an absolute saviour for me. It’s just someone being there and having someone to talk to.”

If you can help, call Mrs Finch at the Oxford Care Centre on 01865 202435 or email sarahfinch@lifecharity.org.uk