Founded in 1995, Home-Start Wessex celebrates 30 years of supporting local families in 2025. To mark this incredible milestone, the charity has launched a 30 for 30 campaign to raise funds to support 30 families in need.
Home-Start Wessex offers friendship, practical support and emotional advice to parents in Dorset with at least one child under 5 when they are in crisis, providing specialist groups and one-to-one home visits. Families are experiencing various issues such as poor mental health, disability, domestic abuse, bereavement, isolation, multiple births or family breakdown.
Now in its 30th anniversary year, Home-Start Wessex is looking for 30 businesses that are keen to make a positive social impact within the community. By pledging to donate £960, each company could support a struggling family and make a positive and significant difference to the course of a child’s life. £960 is the amount it costs the charity to help a family for 6 months to get back on their feet.
Darren Lewis, Community Fundraising and Events Officer at Home-Start Wessex, says, “We believe that parents are key to a happy and secure childhood. We know our support makes a life-changing difference. But our support is more in demand than ever, and we need companies to help us continue our work to give children the best start in life.
Businesses can donate £960 or quarterly donations of £240. You can fundraise throughout the year with dress-down days, cake sales, and other fundraising challenges. We are happy to help with ideas and support – let your imagination run free! We will never be able to thank you enough for the difference you will make.”
Each contributing company will be invited to a special end-of-year 30 for 30 campaign event, where they will be introduced to other socially aware businesses and have the opportunity to promote their positive contributions to the local community.
Family feedback consistently highlights the difference Home-Start Wessex volunteers can make:
“Without the help of the volunteer I don’t think I would have coped. My life has turned right around and now I feel like part of the community.”
“Being stuck at home with twins, one severely disabled, made me feel guilty, like I was letting them down by limiting the experiences they could have. At times the stress drove me to self-harm. We will never forget our Home-Start Volunteer, she genuinely cared for us.”
Earlier this year, the charity won several awards for its Community Support in Bournemouth, Weymouth, across West Dorset and BCP. The charity dedicated the awards to their amazing volunteers who work day in, day out, to help local families.
Over the last year, the charity has transformed 1,716 lives, helping a record 526 families. Their reach covers the Purbecks, Swanage, Weymouth, Dorchester, Bridport, the whole of the BCP Council area, including Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch, across the borders of Hampshire and Wiltshire, going as far north as Cranborne and Fordingbridge and as far east as New Milton – a huge area with a population of over 650,000, including many pockets of high-level deprivation.
To pledge your support for the 30 for 30 campaign, email darren@homestartwessex.org.uk or visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/hsw30for30.