The families’ charity Home-Start Isle of Wight is asking Islanders to think of the parents of young children who find the festive season difficult and lonely – and perhaps consider volunteering or donating in 2022.
Home-Start, which is based in Newport, trains volunteers to work with young families across the Island with children under five, offering ongoing support in the home, as well as group sessions and other events.
Rivlin: A real increase in need
Karen Rivlin, Home-Start IOW Chairperson says,
“This festive season could be more difficult than ever for some families raising young children. The pandemic has increased social and financial pressures, further isolating people and living on an Island as we do, it can sometimes make that sense of loneliness even more acute.
“We’ve seen a real increase in need and isolation during Covid, and as the pandemic continues, we anticipate 2022 being a challenging year for our families.
“We’d love your help as volunteers or by donating funds we can use for training volunteers and supporting families – please do get in touch with us.”
Talk about the reality of raising children
The message comes as the charity – which has branches nationwide – has teamed up with ITV’s hit show The Masked Singer to encourage parents to talk about the reality of raising children – particularly during the pandemic.
During the show – which launches on Saturday 1st January – parents will be encouraged to share their honest, unfiltered parenting experiences on social media using the hashtag #BehindTheMask.
Rivlin: Encouraging parents to come forward and talk openly about their struggles
On the Home-Start and The Masked Singer partnership, Karen Rivlin says,
“We are really excited about his partnership – The Masked Singer is a beloved show with millions of viewers.
“The #behindthemask social media campaign really aligns with Home-Start’s values of encouraging parents to come forward and talk openly about their struggles, something we know we need to hear a lot more of from families on the Isle of Wight.”
You can donate to Home-Start or find out more about volunteering on the Website.
News shared by Harriet Hadfield on behalf of Home-Start IOW. Ed
