Charity | Posted on November 27th, 2024 | return to news
Home Start Wessex volunteers recognised
The charity, which has celebrated another successful year, thanked volunteers, staff and supporters at a special event.
A celebration has taken place to thank staff, volunteers and supporters of Home Start Wessex.
Volunteers of the charity offer friendship, practical support and advice to families who are facing difficulties, including poor mental health, depression, disability, domestic abuse, bereavement, isolation and multiple births. Over the last year, the charity has transformed 1,682 lives, helping a record 501 families. In October 2023, sister organisation Home-Start West Dorset became a victim of the funding crisis. Home-Start Wessex immediately extended its reach to support families in the area, now covering a huge area with a population of over 650,000, including many pockets of high-level deprivation.
CEO Kathy Fryatt-Banks said: “Since 2022, we have doubled the number of families we have supported to over 500 families. We have doubled our geographic reach to include West Dorset. We have generated 100 per cent more income than we did two years ago, and we have grown from running four groups in 2022 to 12 specialist family support groups.
Altogether, we have made a difference to 1,682 lives. We regularly receive letters and comments from families we have supported, who say that the support came at a time when they felt so vulnerable. One parent said, ‘I was so down when Home-Start came to me, and I am so happy now. I can’t express how grateful I am for the support I received and the time I was given. The staff and my volunteer were a godsend’.
“But there is plenty more work to do and there are still hundreds of families we need to help. The issues with families have changed considerably, especially since the pandemic. There are many more high levels of complex issues with families. Our staff and volunteers need to be able to support families in the way they need us to, delivering support which is bespoke to them.”
Carol Miekle received a certificate in recognition of 10 years of service as a Home-Start volunteer. Claire Wagstaff was recognised for five years of service. Catherine Bond received a certificate for two years of volunteer service. Several other volunteers were acknowledged for two, five and 10 years of service for Home-Start Wessex and Home-Start West Dorset.
Charity patron and local author Sarah Lean presented a special award for the long-time volunteer and charity trustee Rowena Wilkes. Rowena received a certificate of achievement for 10 years of service as a volunteer with Home-Start last year.
Holt Recruitment received a Corporate Fundraiser award for outstanding fundraising efforts over the year.
Corporate Partnerships & Marketing Manager Caroline Pope said: “We have had so many fantastic corporate supporters over the past year. Our fabulous partnership with AFC Bournemouth, represented today by John Jennings, has been amazing. We have our match day coming up in March next year and we are really looking forward to that.
“I want to give a special award to an amazing company that has literally gone above and beyond this year by climbing Everest for us and that’s Holt Recruitment. Recently, they completed even more crazy endeavours to raise more money. They are absolute superstars.”
Caroline also thanked Dorset Tea, who donate so much to the charity, including the beautiful hampers given to the volunteers with their long service awards. Lauren Forecast, brand manager at Dorset Tea, said: “It is a joy to be associated with the incredible work Home-Start Wessex is doing. Everyone that is involved needs to be celebrated.”
John Stubbs, chairman of the Trustees, said: “It is just over a year since West Dorset had to close its doors and Home-Start Wessex stepped into the vacuum that could so easily have been left behind. We did this as we do all things at Home-Start Wessex – not for the publicity or the glory but because it was the right thing to do. The right thing for vulnerable families across West Dorset and the children in those families, because childhood can’t wait.
“Many of the children we help will become parents themselves, and they will remember the care and professionalism of a Home-Start Wessex representative. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. A cycle of continuously improving neighbourhoods and societies and people leading positive, fulfilling lives, and quite simply, it couldn’t happen without any of you.”
Home-Start Wessex supports families in the Purbecks, Swanage, Weymouth, Dorchester, Bridport, the whole of the BCP Council area, including Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch, across the borders of Hampshire and Wiltshire, going as far north as Cranborne and Fordingbridge and as far east as New Milton.
Their service is in more demand than ever. If you can commit to two-three hours each week to help, please contact heidi@homestartwessex.org.uk.
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