New group is set to offer support to adopted adults in Moray
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A GROUP set to offer support to adopted adults will launch in Moray next week.
Moray Adult Adoptees Group (MAAG) is set to hold its maiden meeting in the Activities Room inside Elgin Library at 2pm on Wednesday, March 15.
Monthly meetings will follow, with the aim of the group being to offer support to anyone – born pre-2000 – that has a history of adoption.
The group's founder is Susan Beckley, who has volunteered with Moray Council's adoption service for a number of years and was adopted herself as a child.
She said: "The primary aim of the group is to provide mutual support between people who have a story of adoption as the vulnerabilities and strengths that includes are likely to have a common theme.
"It may be that the group moves on to having guest speakers or a more social aspect, but fundamentally it is about being heard and understood, given the uniqueness of adoption.
"When you are adopted you very rarely know somebody else who is – you can go through life without meeting anyone else who you know is adopted.
"At the first meeting we want to establish what sort of support people would like – there are various possibilities for the group but we want to know what people will appreciate.
"People are welcome to come along and say as much or as little as they would like."
Susan, from Forres, believes that the group – which has the support of Moray Council – is the first of its kind in the north of Scotland.
Everyone who fits the criteria is welcome to attend the meetings, where there will also be an adoption worker from the council present. There will be coffee, teas and biscuits on offer for all.
She added: "People tend to think of adoption as something that only happens to children but it affects people throughout their lives.
"Moray Council have a very positive attitude to adoption and view it as a lifelong situation, rather than something that happens to children.
"We have had a few calls already but we won't know until the meeting how much interest we will have."
Interest in attending meetings can be registered by emailing either adoption.letterbox@moray.gov.uk or susan.beckley@btinternet.com, or by phoning Pat Robertson on 07864829591.
