Home-Start Pendle & Ribble Valley
Home-Start is a national voluntary organisation offering informal, friendly support to parents with at least one child under twelve. Home-Start knows how hard being a parent can be, especially during the early years, and that any additional pressure can sometimes make things seem overwhelming.
Establishment
Home-Start Pendle was established in December 2000, following consultation across the Borough of Pendle. Initially the scheme was intended to operate in Nelson but the steering group decided to extend the area to include Colne and the whole Pendle area and now includes the Ribble Valley.
Work with Families
The families we help come from a wide variety of different backgrounds and need support for different reasons, for example: post-natal illness, loneliness, relationship problems, disability or the demands of coping with several small children. Families are often referred to Home-Start by their health visitor, GP or social worker but some people contact their scheme directly.
A Home-Start volunteer supports the family for as long as the family feels they need it. This can be over a period of weeks, months or even years. Volunteers in turn are supported and supervised by paid workers. The service is free and confidential and families may choose to end the relationship at any time.
A volunteer’s role varies according to each family’s needs but it could include: time for talking and listening; help with children; a break for parents; reassurance; help for parents to keep appointments; support to use other local resources and services.
Funding
The scheme is currently funded by two Reaching Communities grants from the Big Lottery, grants from local councils, East Lancs CCG, LCC Public Health and other funding bodies. The scheme receives ongoing support through the generosity of the people and businesses in the Pendle and Ribble Valley area and operates a diverse funding strategy to ensure the long term sustainability of the service.
Organisation details
The scheme is managed by a Volunteer Management Committee. The Committee comprises a range of members with a range of relevant skills and experience. The staff team consists of Scheme Manager: Kishwar Mahmood; Senior Co-ordinator: Julie Raine; Coordinators: Sarah Sheldon, Caroline Haworth, Rachael Tunnacliffe, Shahida Ail and Lesley Farrington; Senior Genetics Outreach Worker: Anne Edington; Genetics Outreach: Aashiya Patel; Group Worker: Joanne Buckley; Administrators: Katherine Ashworth and Heather Starkie, with support from Margaret Foster. The scheme operates from Bridgewater House, Surrey Lane, Nelson, BB9 7TZ and De Lacy House, Station Road, Clitheroe BB7 2JT