Homestart celebrates as the money arrives

Homestart celebrates as the money arrives

HOME Start’s Ballynahinch and Newcastle offices have received a £50,000 lifeline following a Christmas promise by Health Minister Edwin Poots.

The two local branches of the organisation, which offers assistance to families with young children who are under stress, have been under threat since funding was withdrawn last March.

Staff, who have been maintaining the local service on a reserve budget, have staged a high profile campaign to secure new funding, bringing their lobby to the steps of Stormont where they warned that hundreds of disadvantaged families would suffer if the two local offices were forced to close.

Their work appeared to have paid off yesterday morning when there were celebrations in Ballynahinch following confirmation that the £50,000 lifeline had been received. Home Start’s Ballynahinch organiser Imelda Hynds said staff would now concentrate on securing a new three-year funding package for the organisation to preserve local services for the longer term.

She said the past two years had been a “nail-biting time” for the organisation, which had struggled to meet a growing demand for its services due to its lack of funding.

“Neither Ballynahinch nor Newcastle has had any funding since last March,” she said.

“Without the excellent financial stewardship of Home-Start Down District’s Management Committee, both schemes would have had no option but to close a year ago. Despite the lack of funding, the numbers of families seeking support across the district have continued to swell.”

Ms. Hynds said 100 parent volunteers provided almost 10,000 free hours of support to 196 families and 425 children across the district last year at a cost of just £9 per child per week.

“Although we have had to make hard decisions during the year, restructuring our services to ensure our survival, we have still managed to substantially increase the support we offer families,” she said.

Strangford MP Jim Shannon welcomed the £50,000 lifeline for the charity, which he said meant the facility could continue to serve the community.

“Mr. Poots has also pointed us in the right direction of further funding through the Office for the First Minister and Deputy First Minister whom we will meet next week.