Family support charity Home-Start needs another 20 volunteers

A Lorn charity supporting families through tough times has launched a campaign to recruit more volunteers.

A rise in need since the pandemic means Home-Start Lorn is looking for 20 people who can spare even just an hour a week to help deliver their services to families.

Whether that is being matched to support a family as a home visitor or telephone befriender, becoming a charity trustee or a fundraiser – the charity needs you.

Home-Start Lorn manager Hannah Gillies said: ‘Home Start has seen referrals rise during the pandemic, making the charity more important than ever in supporting parents who may suffer with a number of challenges that could include isolation, loneliness, mental health, financial worries, disabilities and bereavement. We are looking for people who can pass forward some of their spare time and kindness in order to make a real difference to another person’s life.’

The charity has not only seen an increased demand but also many volunteers who have worked with the charity for a long time stopped volunteering during the pandemic so new help is needed.

Home-Start Lorn is among a network of more than 180 Home-Starts across the UK whose staff and trained volunteers offer parents compassionate, non-judgemental support. As part of the Home-Visiting service, volunteers complete an in-depth training programme after which they are matched to a family who they visit once a week.

One Home-Start mother on Mull, who has been getting support from the charity for the last two years, said: ‘Our volunteer was absolutely amazing and has been a godsend. My daughter loves her to bits and whenever I needed her she was there.’

Manager Hannah added: ‘Our volunteers are all ages, male and female, with many different backgrounds and experiences. Not all of them are parents.

‘Being a parent has never been easy. It can be lonely, frustrating, heart breaking and over-whelming. Life-changing events can happen to anyone. That is why we are here to stand alongside families when they need us most – and we need more amazing volunteers to help us do that.’

You can find out more about volunteering here: www.homestart.org.uk/pages/category/ways-to-volunteer-for-homestart.