ALTON headteachers have heaped praise on charity Elkolet for coming to the rescue following the collapse of Alton Buckle and taking on two family support workers left jobless.

The schools approached Elkolet with the idea of taking on the two key workers in order to continue and develop the “valuable work” they were doing in the community.

And the charity stepped up to the plate, forming a new subsidiery ‘Embrace’ to run the service.

Wootey Infant School headteacher, Ella Palmer, told the Herald: “We are thrilled that vital family support work will continue for Alton families. Hundreds of children and families have been helped by Alton Buckle over the years, thank goodness Elkolet came to the rescue and formed Embrace.”

The brain child of missionary, Christian businessman and humanitarian developer, Bryan Knowles and his wife Paula, and co-directors Simon and Jolanta Snyman, Embrace is an extension of the work already being carried out for the past six years by Elkolet, supporting senior school children struggling with mainstream education.

Based at the Elkolet Centre on Mill Lane, purchased last year to become a hub of the parent organisation’s educational, community and commercial activities, Embrace will take a “holistic and benevolent” approach to providing tailored support for families and their children, including behavioural and parenting courses, and signposting to other relevant agencies.

Bentley Primary School headteacher, Katy Pinchess said: “Family support at Elkolet is here to help parents get through the tricky times. They run a raft of parenting support programmes which would benefit every parent and carer. They are brilliant!” 

Whilst registered as a charity, according to Simon Snyman, since its inception in 2013, Elkolet has been primarily privately and self funded, although in future local schools will be making a financial contribution towards Embrace.

Mr Snyman also confirmed that while it does not seek funding from Hampshire County Council (HCC), almost six years ago it underwent a formal evaluation process which resulted in HCC giving Elkolet approval for “the provision of alternative provision, emotional health and wellbeing services.”

Having worked closely with Elkolet over a number of years to provide alternative provision for students finding main stream education a challenge, Amery Hill headteacher, Stephen Mann, is now “delighted” to work with the new Embrace team, to find “opportunities to further support our students and families in the future”.