VOLUNTEERS at Home Start Craven enjoyed an evening of celebrations aimed at recognising and applauding their hard work, commitment and success in supporting vulnerable families.

The event, at Cowling Village Hall, saw volunteers, staff, board trustees, agencies and businesses come together to celebrate and appreciate the important work undertaken by volunteers.

The volunteers dedicate their time to befriending and supporting Craven families who may be struggling to cope with the demands and challenges of parenthood for various reasons.

They can include disability, mental health problems, bereavement, relationship problems, multiple births, poverty, financial difficulties, poor housing, substance abuse, isolation, illness or domestic violence.

All Home Start Craven volunteers have first-hand experience of parenting or caring for children.

During the event, the agencies who provide a range of services to families presented ‘speed-dating style workshops’ as a fun, innovative way to impart their knowledge to volunteers. These saw the agencies spend 15 minutes with different group of volunteers to answer quick, rapid-fire questions about the range of services they offer and how they can directly benefit Home Start families. Volunteers can now share this information, enabling more Craven families to access and benefit from these important services.

Speakers included Heather Tyson, Parent Support Advisor for North Craven Children’s Centre; Anna, a representative from the Independent Domestic Abuse Services (IDVA) in Craven and Dee Pollitt from Craven Volunteer Centre who provided information on families accessing different agencies throughout Craven.

Supermarkets and other businesses donated food, wine, soft drinks, tableware and gifts for the evening.

Volunteer Pam Gabe, from Silsden, said it was a good evening.

"It was lovely to meet other volunteers who share the same passion I do, for helping families who, for one reason or another may be struggling to cope.

“I realised that all the volunteers share similar beliefs to myself. We all have experience of parenting. We’ve all been there and know only too well how hard it can be to juggle the demands of raising a young family, especially when you have other pressures such as an illness, depression, financial worries, poor housing, feeling isolated and so on."

She added: " We want to help by lending a hand with the children, giving support to parents or simply being a friendly face, someone who will listen over a cup of tea. It can be that simple but also, that effective.

“It was also good to meet some of the local agencies who can offer important advice, help and support to our families. I’ve learnt so much about their roles, the services they can offer our families and how they can be contacted. I can now take this information back to my Home Start families and help them to access these very valuable services. This could really improve the lives of our families. It was a great night all round!”

Home Start volunteers receive 40 hours of in-depth training preparing them to work with families, including the development of active listening skills, before they are matched with a family. Referrals for families to receive support are made via GPs, schools, family support workers, children’s centres or self-referrals - directly from families themselves.

Home Start Craven’s co-ordinator Julie Moore said: “It was a fantastic evening that captured the sense of community appreciation for the vital work undertaken by Home Start volunteers. From the attendance and contribution of Craven-based agencies who imparted their expertise and knowledge to local businesses kindly pulling together to fund the event, our volunteers saw just how much their work is appreciated and valued.”

Home Start Craven is based in Cowling Village Hall. Anyone interested in volunteering time to support families or act as Trustees for the Board should Julie Moore on 01535 633782, email homestartcravenmanager@gmail.com or pop into the office.