ANNUAL REPORT 2022 - 2023
Helping Suffolk families thrive Home-Start in Suffolk is a charity rooted firmly in the Suffolk community, using simple solutions to bring about genuine, long-lasting change for families. We recruit and train people within the community to become volunteers, who offer their time and kindness to help others who are experiencing a period of difficulty. At Home-Start we recognise how hard it can be to raise a family. We work alongside parents and carers with at least one child in the home under the age of 12, helping them to cope with the stresses and strains of life. The support we provide is delivered through weekly home visits, telephone, and virtual calls or at one of our regular groups. Support can be emotional or practical but is always agreed with the family.
Rob Thacker Chair It is always interesting to reflect on another year Chairing the Board of Trustees at Home-Start in Suffolk. My involvement began in 2018, and what impressed me the most at the time was the dedication of the team. This started for me with the existing trustees, then the management team and on to our incredible army of volunteers. I believe the hardworking and resilient mentality had been ingrained long before my involvement. The last few years have been a testing time, on which I will leave our amazing CEO Tara to elaborate. Suffolk’s needs have grown well beyond our capacity. We cannot give all the support needed – but we must try. It has never been more important to be a Home-Start and to be the volunteer support force helping our communities in the county. Our county needs us, and we are stretched. We need even more volunteers and even more funding to get those volunteers operating effectively. I am incredibly proud of this Charity and all it has done in the last 12 months – I hope this report serves to impress you with all we have done. Please help us continue our mission.
1266 families provided with support
52 new volunteers joined us
Tara Spence CEO Pandemic, fuel crisis, cost of living crisis..... families have borne the brunt of each and every challenge faced by the country in the past few years. 2022-23 saw yet again an increase in referrals, with people feeling even more isolated now, than before the pandemic. The demand for our service keeps growing, and every year I wonder how we are going to keep responding to the unrelenting demand. Yet somehow the team and in particular, our volunteers and family support team, headed up by Alison Grant, continue to find innovative ways to support more and more families, not allowing the quality of the service to wane. I would like to thank everyone of our amazing volunteers, without whom, delivering support would be impossible, and my thanks also go out to our staff team and Trustees, who play an integral part in supporting families.
Supporting families in their homes During the year, Home-Start in Suffolk supported 571 families at home.
What families were referred for
This was 14.6% higher than in the previous financial year
84% Loneliness and isolation 20% low skills 65% Mental Health 35% Domestic Abuse 65% Financial difficulties
Support outcomes 72%
64%
77%
families became less reliant on statutory services
families felt able to cope better financially
77% families felt less isolated
During the year there was a significant increase in referrals for families in financial crisis due to the cost of living situation. As a result, coordinators applied for a record number of food bank parcels, and during the year we utilised vouchers from our successful Winter campaign, to provide 109 emergency food vouchers to the value of £5000 and fuel vouchers totalling £600 to families.
“When my volunteer visited it was the first time in my life since having children that I felt free. I could take the babies out when I wanted, go to the shops and do whatever I wanted to do. It was exciting but at the same time very daunting. Managing three babies wasn’t easy. One of them has several conditions – congenital heart disease, chronic lung disease, liver disease, impaired vision, moderate hearing loss and is tube-fed. We have hospital appointments all the time”.
Supporting families in the community Our 20 groups provided support to 695 families during the year, with a total of 1434 family member attendees across the different venues. Our groups were offered as universal support as well as targeted offers, meaning that we were able to support a variety of different needs. During the year groups supported 64% more families than in the previous year. As well as regular groups we held 3 cooking courses and 5 Infant massage courses. During the year we opened 1 new group at Rendlesham and took over the running of the Wattisham Army group from another charity provider.
Since attending the group Mum Lauren has been a totally different person. She had never attended a baby group before and at 7.5 months old, her daughter Esme had never seen another baby. Lauren suffers from anxiety, is very socially conscious and uncomfortable in social settings. However, she has not missed a session and every week texts us after the group to say how much she enjoyed it. She has also made friends, whom she meets up with outside of the sessions and Esme has enjoyed socialising with other babies.
Volunteering During the year Claire, Family support volunteer We trained 52 new volunteers
Volunteers donated over 110,000 hours to support families
Enquiries from potential volunteers of a Global Majority increased by 18%
Volunteers gave an average 4.86/5 for the level of support received by Home-Start
Delivered volunteering information sessions to 95 ESOL Learners
When I was first asked about becoming involved as a volunteer in a new group that was starting, I thought I would give it a go. I had recently come to the end of my 1:1 support with a family in the locality and knew from this that there was a real need for a local baby and toddler group. Six months on, I can reflect on what a positive experience this has been as a volunteer. It has been great to work as a team under the guidance of Natalie our coordinator, who was keen to involve us volunteers in all aspects of the group organisation from the setting up, resourcing, activities, and planning ideas where we all feel valued and supported. Before each session, we always make time to have a much-needed cuppa and chat together before we open the doors to welcome our families. The group is well attended, and each week is different, but over the months it has been rewarding to see how the children, their parents and carers seem to enjoy the sessions and see them try new activities together. Having time to chat about their week with us volunteers and make friendships with others within the group is really valued. I particularly enjoy watching the children build their confidence and social skills over the weeks and months. Of course, we all love hearing the children’s singing requests at the end of each session and the weekly growing number of ‘Sleeping Bunnies’ trying their hardest not to start hopping before their ‘wake up’ call… the giggles are infectious!
Benefitting individuals and communities We supported families in 39/41 Suffolk postcode areas
Community benefit
Last year we turned an income of £833,923 into a community benefit worth £5,503,891 to the Suffolk economy.
£833,923
£6.66 SROI
Home-Start in Suffolks' unique volunteer delivery model, coupled with our work in supporting local community organisations and businesses, has meant that our social return for each £ invested in the charity is a whopping £6.66.
£5,503,891
37% Increase in formal family support provision
As a result of the many challenges faced by families, coupled with the successful outcomes brought about by the work of our charity, the need and demand for our service grows considerably each year. But unfortunately, the resource to support this demand doesn't manage to keep up. By partnering with us, we can increase the value of your investment, helping you to benefit the Suffolk community by almost 7x the amount you donate to Home-Start. " There were times when I felt alone in my situation, and the support provided an outlet, different perspectives and an encouraging voice " Cass
With thanks to...... Thanks for taking the time to read through a snapshot of our work during the 2022-23 financial year. So much has happened, which wouldn’t have been possible without our Staff, Volunteers, Trustees, Stakeholders and supporters. A Meyer A Robertson A Ryland Alex Crocktail Ali Tilly-Nunn Alice Oxford R Claxton B Gotelee C Foskett C Kelly Cecilia Mahoney S Chowdhury Chris Skrimshire Clare Reader E Reed Esther Smith F Byrne A Fidler G Frances Helen Griffiths Iain Brown J Alcock J Fleming J Golynia J James J Saunders Jackie Spink Jane Dryden Janet Rudge Juliet Bullimore G - Watling K Davies K Martin L Godwin Lesley Smith M D Shaw M Powley Mr & Mrs Hunt Nicki Mayhew P Greengrass R Bird S Gibson S Grant S Harvey S Mitchell S Schur Sarah Burnett T Spence Susan Gibson Sylvia Owens Wady/Rippingal J Gulliver
Cory Brothers Shipping Agency Ltd Billie Box Ltd Adastral Park Church manor Estates Company plc Becketts Financial Services Larking Gowen Maple Farm ABP Port of Ipswich Pozitive Insurance Colour Bank Marshall Hatchick Gressingham Foods Families Magazine - Suffolk Grange Farm Shop Distag QCS Ltd NNB Generation Company (SZC) Ltd Peter Wilson Ginger Pickle Marketing Andrew Laws Bates Wells and Braithwaite Tyson Cooper Archway Carpets Sizewell C Luke Chambers Academy Woodbridge Books Lydia Walmsley M Webster Lavenham Butchers Food Hub Cookery School Felixstowe Ferry Sailing Club Felixstowe Rowing Club Sofas & Stuff Big Fish Photography Theronda Hoffman Mr J Mercer Scott Russell Helen Clarkson-Fieldsend Jonathan Fieldsend Dominic Collins Alicia Shawcross Louise Richardson Carole King Lesley Rawlinson Clare Slater Robins Tony Slater Robins Steph Smith Rhiannon Cole Michelle Lovell Sarah Cussins Corin Jarvis Fear Helen Chambers Yvonne Holdcroft
David Sheepshanks CBE Sophie Sheepshanks Phil Elder Gavin Wood Martin Moore Lisa Perkins Jack Abbott Gurpreet Jagpal James Crosby Sir Robert Hitcham Orwell Multi Academy Dell Primary School BT P Lenz J Hilder J Blackbeard Becky Ames St Gregory Primary Black Shuck E Goody Paddy and Scotts N Barber M Shields A Watson Sanctuary 41 Club Tom Boother
National Lottery Good causes West Suffolk District Council Suffolk Community Foundation Babergh and Mid Suffolk DC Ipswich Borough council Norfolk Community Foundation Suffolk County Council East Suffolk Council Marks & Spencers Co-operative Chapter of Wisdom Masonic Hall Ipswich Greyfriars Round table Hitcham Parish Council Home-Start UK Councillor Alexander Nicoll Wooden Spoon Foodbank Project Councillor Herring
Annual report kindly sponsored by:
www.homestartinsuffolk.org Company limitted by guarantte: 05169779 registered charity no: 1105001