Home-Start Cotswolds are looking for volunteers! If you’re wondering what that might involve – or how rewarding it would be – this is what mum of three, Clare, says:
‘I’m a 39-year-old teacher with a grown-up daughter, an 11-year-old stepson and a two-year-old son. In 2018, my partner and I were told that our baby (due March 2019) had abnormalities. Our relationship suffered and I felt very lonely, anxious and disappointed.
After the baby arrived, my anxiety and loneliness became unbearable. I went online and found Home-Start Cotswolds who sent Lynn to meet me. She then matched me with Trish, a volunteer who started visiting us once a week at home.
It meant the world to me that someone would give up their time, voluntarily, to help me. Knowing I had Trish coming round meant I could plan things that I didn’t feel confident to do on my own, like going into town to have my son’s feet measured or doing a supermarket shop. She gave me great advice, was interested in my family and me, and was totally non-judgmental. I looked forward to her visits each week and always felt so ‘light’ afterwards – like a burden had been lifted.
Trish taught my son lots of nursery rhymes which he still sings and helped his speech to improve. She was also totally unflappable in situations where I would have panicked (eg. my son having a tantrum in the Co-op car park). Most importantly, she was paramount in my journey to becoming a less-anxious, more competent mum to all three of my children.’
Our next weekly training course starts in January. For more information, call 01285 885391, visit www.home-start-cotswolds.org.uk/volunteer or come for coffee and a chat at 10.30am on Tue 23rd November at Cirencester Baptist Church. We look forward to meeting you!
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