Home-Start Bristol
& South Gloucestershire
There for parents when they need us most, because childhood can't wait
Family Stories
Cathy, our volunteer, is our helper and our friend. My daughter and I look forward to her visit on a Tuesday morning as she just brightens up our day.
My condition is very rare, and it can be unpredictable as to how I am going to feel from one day to the next. I struggle being able to take my 2-year-old daughter out and about because of my walking aids and sometimes scooter. Me and my daughter have such a lovely relationship with Cathy who I have been meeting since January – her support and help just makes it a little easier.
Cathy is my little ray of sunshine – she knows when things are good or bad before even talking to me, normally it’s when me and my daughter are still in our pjs!(pyjamas). She is someone I can sit down with, have a cup of tea and just let all my problems and worries flow out. She is an amazing listening ear.
Cathy also supports us on outings to the supermarket and to the park. In the house she also helps chores ‘have a little starter’ from putting washing on the airer to loading the dishwasher or running the hoover around.
– Louise (mum)
What Families Say
‘The routine of knowing S, my volunteer, was coming worked well for me. I really appreciated the fact that she was a volunteer and supporting me in her own time.’
‘For the twins it has been beneficial for them to see someone outside our household regularly as they were very bad with seeing new people due to lockdown. Thank you again for your support and offers of help during a very difficult year.‘
‘Our volunteer from Home-Start is invaluable, we look forward to our weekly visits which bring a welcome break for me and much needed support during difficult times such as hospital stays.’
‘The support from my volunteer has helped me to stay physically fit and mentally sound. Our chats also helped to restore my confidence about work as during a full year away from work and cut off from my colleagues by the pandemic I started to doubt my abilities. This meant I was confident enough to apply for a new role returning to work which I successfully interviewed for and got.’
‘My Home-Start volunteer was so supportive and a wonderful resource. I really needed someone to talk things through and because of my physical and mental health, I needed some support to keep myself going as such. I think the personal touches such as vegetable plants and activities for the children were a great help and made me feel connected in a difficult time for me personally.’
‘I could not have survived the early months with my twins without the support I received from the Home-Start team. They reassured me regularly I wasn’t wasting their service because I thought I should be able to cope on my own. They matched me so well with our volunteer, who was a very calming influence and my children instantly loved her. Her gentle manner encouraged me to trust myself and grow in confidence as a parent, and her (outdoor) visits got me through one week at a time, until my mental health improved. I will never forget the help I was so lucky to have from Home Start. I hope I may be able to volunteer one day myself and help others less fortunate than me.’
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