A special exhibition has been created to mark 75 years of One Parent Families Scotland
A Scottish charity is marking 75 years of providing support to single parent families.
One Parent Families Scotland (OPFS) is celebrating a milestone anniversary of being a voice to single parents, challenging child poverty, discrimination and stigma, celebrating single parents and their children for their achievements.
And to mark the occasion a special exhibition is being held, featuring intimate images of some of the families who have benefitted from the charity’s work.
Photographer Amara Eno has worked with parents and children to create new work reflecting the lives of single parent families. A photographic exhibition of Eno's work opens to the public from tomorrow (13 November) until 24 November at the Custom Lane Centre, Customs Wharf, Leith. It marks 75 years of OPFS and reflects on why the charity was set up, acknowledges how culture and society has changed over the decades and examines the organisation’s plans for the future.
Satwat Rehman, director of OPFS, said: “Over one in four families in Scotland are headed by a single parent. The 25 Percent is an amazing chronicle of the positive reflections, but also the hardships, that make up the single-parent family landscape in Scotland.
“Throughout our 75 years of working with single parents, the one constant has been the love and dedication to their children. No matter how difficult their circumstances, their children always come first.
“We want to celebrate this through the exhibition and challenge the myths and stereotypes about single parent families.”
“Just under three years ago, I began working on a project called The 25 Percent, a long-term commentary that speaks to my own experiences of being raised by a single mother,” said Eno.
“Single parent families were never a family type that I saw being widely celebrated growing up, and so it’s a really huge step and honour for me to have been invited to collaborate with OPFS.
“I am immensely grateful to OPFS for seeing value in my work and especially thankful to all the families involved for opening their doors and sharing their stories of strength with me.”
The free exhibition is open from 10am to 5pm and weekdays and Saturdays, and 11am to 4pm on Sundays.
