Welcome to our milestone 25th anniversary page!
Celebrating 25 years of dedicated service, Home-Start Stroud and Gloucester welcomes you to our milestone 25th anniversary page! Since our inception, we have been passionately committed to supporting families through various challenges in their lives. Join us as we reflect on our journey so far, celebrate our achievements, and look forward to the next chapter of empowering families and building stronger communities together.
Tweedy meets our Trustee Andrew Lane and his wife
A big tea party with David Drew
Ri and Tracey meet Siobhan Baillie
Showcasing Home-Start at the Stroud Volunteering Fair
It all began with a Home-Start T-shirt
It all began with our Founder, Elizabeth Ewart-James, seeing someone wearing a Home-Start T-shirt in 1999— once she’d heard the ethos of Home-Start, a fire was sparked in Liz and she didn’t rest until she established a scheme in her home area of Stroud where none had existed before. Because why not? She roped in a good friend, Heather as Treasurer, and between them they managed to get initial funding from the National Lottery and we were born as Home-Start Stroud District. For over two decades Liz’s unwavering enthusiasm as Chair of Trustees shaped the services that we deliver to local families. It was wonderful to see her win Trustee of the Year from Home-Start UK earlier this year; this was a fitting end to her tenure as Chair, as she handed over the mantle to Harriet Walker.
Our core service of home visiting in the Stroud District was what the charity solely concentrated on for its first 17 years. In 2016 we expanded our support to families in Quedgeley. In 2017 we extended our services to include free antenatal and postnatal groups so that we could support more and more families. The groundbreaking project Mothers in Mind was launched – to support mothers who are struggling with their mental health in the perinatal phase. We also introduced a twice weekly stay and play session for families in the Nailsworth area.
In 2020, amidst the challenges of a global pandemic, we extended our reach to Gloucester City and launched the Dad Matters Project. Despite the difficulties faced, we remained steadfast in our commitment to supporting families. The year 2022 brought another momentous occasion as we welcomed Tweedy, a local hero, as our new Patron. Today, after 25 years of dedicated service, we stand proud of our accomplishments and the reputation we’ve built. As we look ahead to the next 25 years, we invite you to join us on this journey of continued growth and impact.
The Home-Start team at Christmas
Tweedy meets Tweedy! And Michelle.
Heather and Liz at the Colour Run
The team learn to cook
The Celebrations Planned
We are excited about our planned events to celebrate our 25th Birthday! First we had our Dance Extravaganza at Nailsworth Town Hall on Saturday, 13th April at 2:30 PM! Next we will be holding our annual Colour Run in June and a family and volunteer picnic in August. Then in October we are delighted to be hosting a joint fundraising Gala with Allsorts, who are also celebrating a significant milestone this year. See the details here.
Meeting Princess Anne
The Home-Start Team have lots of energy!
Alex with an award from Stroud Town Council
Liz and Heather celebrating Home-Start
A Testimonial from one of our First Supported Families
I wanted to share this picture as it was this moment where I was talking to National Press about my post natal depression and experience of navigating motherhood. It was this moment where I genuinely felt like I had come out of what I can only describe as one of the darkest times in my life. I felt like a mother properly for the first time and I wouldn’t have reached this stage without the help of Harriet and Homestart.
Harriet was genuinely the person that saved me, helped me navigate postnatal depression, navigate motherhood and got me out of the house when I felt I would never leave the house again.
I was so lost, I had gone from a confident person in pregnancy to this vacant lost person, at the time when it was “meant” to be wonderful.
I was scared at first at the prospect of the visits, scared of being judged, I didn’t know what to expect but from the moment Harriet visited me I knew she was going to help me. She was my fairy godmother that’s for sure!!
Each visit, we reached a different milestone, building my confidence along the way and I started to learn and embrace motherhood and I am forever grateful I was lucky enough to be saved by Harriet and Homestart.
I wouldn’t be the mother I am today without you.
Emily x
A huge thank you for all of the support over the last 25 years!
We are immensely grateful for the ongoing financial support of our funders, as it enables us to continue our vital work in the community, supporting families when they need it most. Every single penny received goes directly into family support, and every contribution, no matter how small, makes a significant impact. As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, we extend our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you who has supported us throughout the years!
Why not organize a fundraiser for our Birthday year?
If you feel inspired to contribute to our cause, we invite you to consider organizing your own fundraising event as part of our birthday year. Whether it’s a cake sale, a knit and natter session, or a garage sale, your creativity knows no bounds! You can easily sign up to host your event through Total Giving. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of even more families in our community.