Richmond Community - Home-start Richmondshire

Home-Start offers support, friendship and practical help to parents with young children in local communities throughout the UK.

Home-Start offers a unique service. We recruit and train volunteers who are usually parents themselves to visit families with at least one child under five, at home, and offer them informal, friendly and confidential support.

Home-start Richmondshire Home-Start Schemes are rooted in the communties they serve. They are managed locally, but supported by the national organisation: this offers direction, training, information and guidance and ensures consistent and quality support for parents and children wherever they are.

Home-Start has a proven, lasting, positive impact on the development of children and the health and welfare of the family.

What families that have been supported by Home-Start say:

"Home-Start was my shining light at the end of what often seemed to be a very long and dark tunnel."
"If it hadn't been for her I don't know what I would have done."
"When I look back and see how far my family has come I feel a real sense of pride and achievement. We owe a lot to Home-Start."
"My volunteer has been my lifeline. Without her I would not be where I am today."

Quotes from volunteers of Home-Start.

"I feel really valued as a volunteer – that's been the case all the way through. There's good training and I was really impressed about the care given to us – there is a great appreciation of what volunteers do."
"The best thing about the being a Home-Start volunteer is realising how a little of my spare time has made positive differences to families in the local community."

Home-Start urgently needs more volunteers to support families in Richmondshire. There are parents near you who are struggling to cope and support the children they love so much. Just 3 hours a week can make a huge difference to parents under pressure.

By using your experience as a parent to give a helping hand or listening ear, you can support families to give children the start in life they deserve. We will give you full training and support.

Please ring Kerry Ellis on 01748 850079 for a chat about becoming a Home-Start volunteer or email us -

Please do get in touch – local families need your help.

Home-Start Richmondshire is part of Home-Start UK – the leading family support charity in the UK with over 300 schemes nationwide. www.home-start.org.uk