‘The funding has helped us adapt’

Home-Start Hampshire provides vital support for parents who find themselves overwhelmed with family life, whether due to postnatal depression, a child’s disability or social isolation.

Last March, the charity was forced to shut all six of its offices. But families have been given a lockdown lifeline after HomeStart received grants totalling £2,000 from Tesco’s Covid-19 Emergency Fund.

“Due to the nature of the support we offer, it was imperative that staff were able to continue working from home,” says a spokesperson. “However, we didn’t have the technology to implement this fully – some staff were having to cope with equipment that was outdated at best and a hindrance to productivity at worst.

“With the funding we received from Tesco, we have been able to acquire a new laptop for our family coordinator. As well as being better for day-to-day work tasks, its built-in web camera has enabled better contact to be maintained with colleagues, volunteers and families. “Throughout lockdown our team have continued to coordinate and supervise volunteers to provide remote support to existing families, and continued accepting and processing new referrals for support. “Our team of family coordinators have also designed and run a pilot course for training volunteers remotely – something that will be key to our ongoing success. “The funding provided by Tesco Bags of Help Covid-19 Communities Fund has been instrumental in helping us adapt during this challenging period, which we are incredibly grateful for.”