20 November 2023
The local family meeting place (LOFT) in Lorentzweiler, an initiative of the Luxembourg Red Cross in collaboration with the municipality, celebrated its first anniversary on 17 November. This meeting place offers families of school-age children the opportunity to network, find support and spend time together. It is an innovative project that has been very well received by parents and is being further developed together.
Since its official launch on 18 November 2022, the “Lokale Familljentreff” in Lorentzweiler has developed into an important point of contact for families in the municipality. Here, parents, children and other family members can come together regularly to get to know each other, exchange ideas, support each other and develop a stronger bond with the local community. LOFT also offers a variety of educational programmes aimed at supporting families in different areas such as parenting and education. LOFT also serves as a point of contact for parents to offer counselling in difficult situations or to point out local resources that can support affected families.
The family centre is therefore an innovative place that responds to current societal and social challenges. The programme ranges from informative parents’ evenings (on topics such as the internet, emotions, sexuality) to various leisure activities with children (e.g. craft and cooking workshops, excursions, play and reading evenings, hikes). LOFT is open to all families, regardless of whether a child is enrolled at the Maison Relais or the community crèche.
“We are very pleased because we have been able to establish our local family meeting place as a contact point here in the municipality. We receive a lot of encouragement from the families. Many parents are now involved with us so that we can continue to develop the project together with them,” says Lisa Goergen, coordinator of the LOFT in Lorentzweiler. In the future, the director wants to approach more parents of older primary school children (cycle 2-4) and get them involved, as well as expand collaboration with local and national stakeholders.
To celebrate the first successful year of Familientreff Lorentzweiler, the anniversary event “LOFT & Léift” took place on 17 November from 4 pm to 7 pm. This celebration – in the presence of Mayor Marguy Kirsch-Hirtt and Aldermen Paul Bach and Frazer Alexander – was organised with a cosy get-together for the whole family. The LOFT organised the event together with the Maison Relais, the Crèche, the municipality and some parents.
Speaking of LOFT
The local family meeting place is a project of the Luxembourg Red Cross, which was developed in collaboration with the respective municipality and the parents living there. Half of the LOFT Lorentzweiler is financed by the municipality of Lorentzweiler and the other half by the Fondation André Losch. In addition to the LOFT in Lorentzweiler, which is located in the Maison Relais building, the Red Cross also runs another local family centre in Stadtbredimus. A third LOFT is due to open its doors in Strassen soon.
Further information: LOFT – Lokale Familljentreff – Luxembourg Red Cross, Mënschen hëllefen (croix-rouge.lu)