Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust award Home-Start £94,000 to launch new project supporting Suffolk military families

Home-Start in Suffolk receives £94,000 from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust to launch a new project supporting Suffolk military families based at Honington, Rock Barrack’s and Wattisham

Local family support charity, Home-Start in Suffolk, is delighted to have been awarded more than £94,000 in funding by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, to launch a new project supporting military families across Suffolk’s military bases at Honington, Rock Barracks and Wattisham, to run alongside their already well-established military family and community-based groups in Hadleigh and Wattisham. The project is set to launch in May 2024 as a direct response to the support enquiries the organisation receives relating to military families across the county.

Home-Start team has built strong, positive links with military families and the community of Wattisham since they began operating their two popular groups, one in Wattisham and one in Hadleigh, two years ago. This new project will allow Home-Start to continue to build further positive links with families based at Wattisham and will also allow the organisation to establish a support offer to families based at Rock Barracks and Honington, providing one to one support to families and considering developing similar groups where a need is identified.    

“We’re delighted that The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust has awarded us this funding.” Explains Tara Spence, CEO of Home-Start in Suffolk.  “This new project means we will be able to continue to develop the support for military families in this area of Suffolk and expand our service and work in areas that are currently under-supported. This is an opportunity to reach families from all three of Suffolk’s military bases, in need of one-to-one support.    Families will have access to a dedicated, highly experienced family support coordinator and volunteers, who will support families as they navigate through challenging situations, providing early intervention to prevent the family from reaching crisis point.”         

Suffolk Armed Forces Commissioner , Lee Holloway said of the grant awarded,  ” I am pleased to receive the news that The Armed Forces Covenant Trust Fund has granted this wonderful organisation over £94,000 in its latest round of funding.

“This award is the result of a significant effort on the part of an organisation that is dedicated to assisting parents and carers within our community. Their work, dedication and focus have had a huge impact where it matters most, and this grant will enable them to continue and expand where and when needed.”

Marie, who was referred to Home-Start just before her husband was deployed said of the support they have given her “Before I had the support of Home-Start, I struggled to leave the house and with my husband away, I knew my mental health was suffering, my anxiety was just too much. Home-Start helped me enormously.  If I didn’t have their support or my volunteer, I don’t know where I would be, maybe I wouldn’t even be here.  They helped me through a very dark place.”

 

Home-Start in Suffolk has been supporting families across the county for 25 years and has a network of over 280 fully trained volunteers who provide vital practical and emotional support through their home visiting services.

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