During our toughest year ever, with even more competition for funding, we are proud to have continued to grow, adapt, and extend our services to meet an even higher demand.
Our first full year as Home-Start Wessex has seen the after effects of the pandemic and the current cost of living crisis, which has really taken its toll on families in a big way. We responded by launching an appeal in autumn 2022 and since then more and more local families have been referred to our services.
Not only have we continued to see families going through considerable stress, hardship, and heartbreak, but we have seen a rise in families who have suffered domestic violence, mental breakdowns and been forced into homelessness. This prompted us to open more specialist groups in different parts of the community, including at a homeless shelter housing young single mothers and their babies. This has been a massive lifeline for them and the help they have received has facilitated many children moving into safer, more permanent homes, with brighter and more stable futures.
It is so rewarding to see the incredible impact that our organisation makes to people’s lives and this could not be done without our wonderful team who I thank from the bottom of my heart. Our staff, volunteers and trustees are always ready to step up and have never wavered in their dedication and commitment to the organisation as we have constantly sought to improve and expand the services we offer.
– Kathy Fryatt-Banks, CEO