Dear Editors

Now that the school holidays are over, and even now the shops are glittering with tinsel, it is time once more to start thinking of those we try to help at Christmas.

As usual, the majority of those eligible will be our pensioners, although, as always, the Trustees will consider requests from anybody in need.

If you believe that you qualify for a grant, please apply to me or to any Trustee, and I make my usual plea for early applications. It does so ease the secretarial work if all requests are to hand by the end of November.

My thanks to everybody who applied last year. For the first time I was able to arrange the distribution with only one visit to the bank.

Yours faithfully,

S.G. Hewitt

Home-Start is a support scheme for families with young children. Support is offered by volunteers to families with children under five in their own home.

Potential volunteers attend a ten-week preparation course which provides the background to Home-Start volunteering, covering practical skills, ideas for children's activities, information about families and how to support them.

Volunteers are then carefully placed by a scheme Organiser with a family who has been referred for support. There are many reasons why families need support - they may be lonely or isolated, there may be health problems with either the child or parent, the family may have several pre-school children to name just a few. Home-Start East Cambridgeshire is supporting families in villages throughout the District Council area.

Volunteers out-of-pocket expenses are payable. On-going training and support while volunteering are provided by the scheme organisers.

If you have had parenting experience and would be interested in becoming involved in this interesting and rewarding voluntary work we would be pleased to hear from you.

Please contact:
Jo Sollars or Michelle Holman
Home-Start East Cambridgeshire
14 Priors Court
ELY
Cambs CB6 3AH