Thirty years of helping families in need

A group of dedicated volunteers in the Omagh aera are celebrating 30 years of providing assistance, friendship and guidance to families who need it most.

For many of these families, the tireless volunteers of Home-Start Omagh District are their only link to the outside world.

During the last three decades, Home-Start has provided support to over 800 families and saw more than 130 home-visiting volunteers pass through the organisation.

It offers support to young local families in the Omagh district area in such diverse circumstances as multiple births, post-natal depression, bereavement, mental health issues, young single parents, social and/or rural isolation, disability of parent and/or children, physical illness, or simply just struggling to cope.

The group recruits volunteers who are parents themselves or have parenting experience, to visit these families in their homes for two-to-three hours per week to provide practical and/or emotional support and to offer friendship.

Allison Spriggs, Home-Start Omagh coordinator, said the group had been set up by local community midwives and health visitors, who saw first-hand that there was a lack of support for families with babies and young children.

She said, “These same midwives had heard of a volunteer-led family support charity called Home-Start UK which had been set up in Leicester in 1973 and that this charity had opened up independent scheme in Northern Ireland.”

Armed with information and support from Home-Start UK, the group of proactive community members approached the Sperrin Lakeland Trust to ask for partial funding to start the scheme and, in 1994, Home-Start West Tyrone, now known as Home-Start Omagh District, was established.

LIFE-CHANGING

The road to providing vital and life-changing help to families throughout the community has been a path marked by prosperity and success – but it hasn’t come without challenges and loss.

“Home-Start Omagh District has faced many challenges over its 30-year history, these included the serious illness of its part-time coordinator Anne McKeagney and the death of coordinator Dolores McBrien in October 2013 after a short battle with cancer,” Allison said.

“For a small charity, these losses have had a significant impact, but thanks to the efforts of Home-Start Omagh trustees and its team of home-visiting volunteers, Home-Start Omagh District continued to offer its services to families in the area.”

A highlight etched on the 30-year timeline of Home-Start Omagh was when local volunteer, Eithne Connolly, was selected for the NI4kids Family Support Individual Recognition Award in 2016.

“Eithne was nominated by local mum Karen Colgan Guy, who wrote to the judging panel to tell them of how Eithne had helped her,” Allison said.

PRIVILEGE

In a statement, the grateful mother said, “Throughout the last year I was given a great privilege to have Home-Start Omagh come into my home and help me with my three children. I was so lucky to be allocated the most kind and caring person in Eithne Connolly. Without her help, I really don’t know where I would be today.

“My children have been made to feel like they were part of her family and totally love Eithne. Without her support and Home Start Omagh helping me gain confidence within myself again… I would more than likely still be in a dark hole struggling to find my way out. This is an amazing organization within our wee town of Omagh and they most certainly don’t get enough credit for all their hard work.”

Thirty years on and the charity faces higher demand than ever for support from families as they face the increasing pressures of modern life, the ‘cost-of-living’ crisis and lack of statutory services.

CHALLENGES

“Funding challenges still remain for the charity, which relies on a combination of fundraising and grant applications to meet 65 per-cent of the costs not met by the Western Health and Social Care Trust.”

The charity would appeal to anyone who is interested in getting involved with the charity to get in touch.

Allison added, “Home-Start Omagh will be running a new volunteer recruitment and training programme in May and if you are interested in volunteering to help make a difference to families in your area, you can contact Home-Start Omagh by telephoning 028 82240902 or by emailing info@homestartomaghdistrict.org.uk.”