Birthday party for Home-Start
A Stirling charity celebrated its 15th birthday with a party for many of the families it has helped over the years.
Home-Start Stirling threw the bash at the Albert Halls on Saturday, attended by Provost Mike Robbins.
And there to cut the cake was one of the first families to be helped by the charity - Dunblane mum Caroline Curley with her triplets Megan, Victoria and Andrew.
Home-Start sent volunteer Marcia Gordon to assist Caroline, 57, when her children were toddlers and she was struggling to cope.
She said: “Home-Start helped me to get out of the house - that was the most difficult thing. Being at home with three of them, it was an exhausting time. And at that age when one of them picked up a sickness bug, all three were ill. Having Marcia was lifechanging.”
Now 17 years old and having just finished their studies at Dunblane High School, the triplets joined their mum as guests of honour at the weekend birthday bash, which was attended by many families who are currently receiving help from Home-Start. There was facepainting, balloon animals and an entertainer for the kids.
Home- Start has made a difference to the lives of hundreds of families in need across the city, supporting them in their own homes when they have at least one child under the age of five.
Since it began in 2000, Home-Start Stirling has had 429 referrals and trained more than 160 volunteers to spend an average of 12 months helping a family come through a difficult time.
It matches families to a volunteer who can visit for around three hours a week, giving help however required. Staff will visit regularly to review the service until everybody agrees that a family is able to cope on its own.