MORE than 100 years ago, the then Bishop of Oxford began a crusade to tackle the poverty he saw blighting families in the city.

Today, sadly, the same issues are still affecting many in Oxfordshire, making the work of Parents and Children Together as important as ever.

Chief executive Jan Fishwick said: “PACT’s services have evolved over the past century but at its essence it has always provided support to families in need.

“We have extensive experience supporting adoption and fostering placements, children with disabilities, families affected by hardship or finding the challenges of parenting difficult.

“This means that our charity continues to be as relevant and effective today as it was in 1911.”

The charity works on behalf of the Church of England’s Diocese of Oxford and runs children’s centres in Abingdon, Wallingford, Didcot, Sutton Courtenay, Wantage, Berinsfield and Witney.

Its origins date back to 1910, when the then Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Rev Francis Paget, saw “the evil so appalling” and pledged to act.

He established the Diocesan Council for Prevention and Rescue Work the following year.

It took on adoption work from 1953 and at its 1969 peak placed 481 babies with new families.

In 1960, when it was called the Oxford Moral Welfare Association, it began to provide rooms and bedsits to unmarried mothers, a lifeline still offered today.

As attitudes to single mothers changed, adoptions fell and the association changed focus to offer more help to vulnerable children, the disabled and ethnic minorities.

Among those who has benefited from PACT’s support recently is Candice Kruger, 26, from Didcot, who moved to Britain six years ago from Durban, in South Africa.

She said the process of applying for UK residency was a “nightmare” and she found herself homeless and out of work with a baby daughter, Tara-Rose, to support.

Then she was put in tough with Nikki Littleworth, a PACT family support worker at Wallingford Children’s Centre.

Ms Kruger said: “She helped turn my life around. No-one listened to me. But everyone listened to Nikki and now I’m renting a lovely place in Didcot and when Tara starts nursery, I will be able to return to work and study too. I can’t thank Pact enough.”

Mrs Littleworth said: “I help with practical issues, such as finding people furniture and even finding dentists and GPs for people who are new to the area.

“I love working with families, but the best bit is when they no longer need me. Seeing a family which has moved on from crisis and has grown into a thriving happy household.”

Pact’s centenary celebrations will include a charity ball at Blenheim Palace, in Woodstock on Friday, June 10.

For more information, see pactcharity.org or call 0800 731 1845