What Homestart does
Home-Start helps families with young children deal with whatever life throws at them. We support parents as they learn to cope, improve their confidence and build better lives for their children. The
benefits of our support include improved health and well being and better family relationships.
Providing one-to-one support for parents
Our volunteers visit the family’s home for a couple of hours every week. They tailor-make their support to the needs of the parents and children. Volunteers are very committed and will keep
visiting until the youngest child turns five or starts school, or until the parents feel they can stand on their own two feet. Parents and volunteers often develop a deeply trusting
relationship which can lead to powerful change within the family.
We also run family groups and social events for families.
How we help!
At our special family service held on Christmas Eve at St Mary's, we ask everyone to bring a gift for child, unwrapped and if you feel you can supply some wrapping paper or a gift bag that would be appreciated too.
All gifts are taken away, gift wrapped and delivered to children by volunteers.
This service is always very well supported and the Homestart representative always leaves with a car bursting to the seams with Christmas presents to be distributed to families.
GIFTS FOR HOME START
Christmas is likely to be very different and difficult this year for lots of families particularly for those who are supported by Home Start. Whilst we hope to be collecting gifts for the local Home Start and the Children’s Society, Essex Home Start is asking for Supermarket vouchers, which could be used for both food and gifts, or Toyshop vouchers by the end of November. If you have suitable gifts already available they could also be donated now, giving the volunteers more time to distribute or in some cases shop for their families. Vouchers and gifts for Home Start should be dropped off to either: Revd. Simon Garwood, The Vicarage, Church Street or Sarah Tassell, Home Start Volunteer, 5, Bellingham Place. The residents of our community have always been very generous and Home Start are grateful for your support.