The mum of a teenage girl who nearly died during the pandemic said their lives had been “transformed” by Carlisle Youth Connect; a free service for young people set up in partnership by Co-op and Barnardo’s.
Michelle, a 54-year-old Mum of three, began to notice worrying signs in her then 13-year-old daughter Kira shortly after lockdown began in March 2020.
“One day she came home from school complaining of serious leg pain,” remembers Michelle. “She had been hit in the legs during rounders and was really aching. It just got worse from there – by the Friday she could barely walk, and on Saturday couldn’t get out of bed at all.”
Kira was eventually diagnosed with chronic pain, chronic fatigue, and anxiety. “She became completely bedbound,” remembers Michelle. “Everything hurt, all the time. She was so isolated – even worse than lockdown. It was just horrendous.”
The family began planning a move up North, trading their Cheltenham home for a renovation project in Carlisle which would allow Michelle to become Kira’s full-time carer. Then, just days before they were due to move, Kira’s went into diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), leaving her in critical condition for four days.
“Her body was completely shutting down,” said Michelle. “We were all told to say goodbye. Her brothers, especially Max who was just 11 years old then, were completely traumatised.”
Fortunately, Kira recovered and, newly diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, she and her family prepared for the move to Carlisle - where a chance meeting between Michelle and a Barnardo’s member of staff at the Teenage Market alerted them to a "transformative” opportunity.
“The woman told us that Barnardo’s and Co-op were starting a new partnership where they’d be setting up 20 services all over the country, designed for and by young people, including one in Carlisle,” said Michelle. “It was exactly what Kira and Max needed. They got involved straight away, designing what the service would look like and even interviewing potential members of staff.”
“The woman told us that Barnardo’s and Co-op were starting a new partnership where they’d be setting up 20 services all over the country, designed for and by young people, including one in Carlisle,” said Michelle. “It was exactly what Kira and Max needed. They got involved straight away, designing what the service would look like and even interviewing potential members of staff.
“As Kira’s carer, I could see the impact almost immediately. Being able to get out, meet new people, and be involved in something like this boosted her confidence so much. It brought her out of her shell after years of trauma and isolation. It helped to soothe her anxiety about going out in the world, which in turn has helped her symptoms so much.”
Max, now 13, has also benefited from the wellbeing support provided by the service.
“Kira gets a lot of support, but there’s not much out there for siblings,” said Michelle. “At the Barnardo’s and Co-op service, he’s able to talk about his feelings in a safe and inclusive environment. Or, if he wants to just turn up and draw, he can do that too. It’s a welcoming environment that lets young people just be themselves.”
The Carlisle service is one of 20 similar services established across the UK through a partnership between Barnardo’s and Co-op. Together, Barnardo’s and Co-op are supporting positive futures for 750,000 young people like Kira and Max. For Michelle, key to its success is the involvement of young people in all aspects – from designing the service to interviewing potential staff members.
“To hear a child’s ideas and thoughts being taken seriously is really great to see,” said Michelle. “It’s amazing for them to have that chance and experience.”
Rebecca Birkbeck, Director of Community & Membership Participation at Co-op, said: “At Co-op, we believe that young people’s voices must be at the heart of shaping the solutions to the challenges they face. This is something our Co-op member-owners care about and co-operating to fix it is crucial. Together with Barnardo’s, we’re committed to raising £5m to support positive futures for 750,000 young people across the UK, and we’re very proud to hear of the impact that these services of already having on the lives of young people like Kira and Max.”
Kira and Max are both now attending school, with Kira having recently passed GCSEs despite spending over a year out of school. Michelle is now employed as an “as and when” worker by Barnardo’s, supporting the service whenever she can.
Michelle said: “Before Kira became ill she was in every club going, but that’s not really possible anymore. At the Barnardo’s and Co-op service, although she’s in a wheelchair, she can still do things the other kids do, and nobody treats her differently. It’s been transformative – it really has.”
To learn more about the partnership please visit www.coop.co.uk/SupportYoungPeople.
Published on
28 February 2025