Unique festival in Omagh to support single parent families

BUILDING a support community for single parents and their children was the aim of a bustling and well-attended festival which took place recently in Omagh.

The Glenpark Estate event, the first of its kind in the North, was devised by Scottish mum-of-two Elaine Harris founded ‘Single Parent Festivals’ during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The festival, which featured five days of activities suitable from tots to teens to adults, also included a dedicated camping area for families with additional needs such as autism and ADHD.

Elaine who is Mum to Nina, aged 12, and Faith, aged eight, said that the festival was a fantastic way to bring parents and their children together in a stress-free environment.

“We are a social family but have struggled in the past to find non commercial, family friendly events where costs don’t spiral with all the add ons,” she told the ‘Herald. “After speaking to other single parents a lot of them admitted that they have not holidayed on their own before, as they have worried about being sat on their own while others were in groups. This is where the idea for Single Parent Festivals was born,” she added.

“It’s a place where people can come together and their kids can play away to their hearts content. We want to take away as much stress as we can from parents so not only kids but adults can enjoy themselves to the max.”

Over the course of the five days, young children enjoyed attending a crèche, while clubs were set up for primary age and teens to attend. Further festivities included storytelling, laser tag and musical performances around a communal bonfire with roasted marshmallows.

“According to the Office of National Statistics, there are 2.9 million loan families in the UK in 2020,” Elaine explained.

“This accounts for 14.7 per-cent of all families, and it’s because of this Elaine says that there is such a need for events like this.”

Elaine started with a site in Scotland, then grew to add on sites in England and for this year also Wales and the North.

“This will be the fourth year the festivals have been running and they now cover five sites,” she added. “It really is a brilliant way of bringing everyone together, and because everyone is in the same situation, it’s easier for people to chat away and make friends during five nights of music, laughter, friendship and fun.

“It really is an unforgettable experience, and hopefully it helped to make this summer one to remember for local participants.”