Home-Start families say big thank to Jennifer Ellison

Families, volunteers and staff from Home-Start Knowsley will be saying a big thank you to Jennifer Ellison this Friday lunchtime (15 July). The stage and screen actress will be attending a special private showing of ITV's With A Little Help From My Friends programme which was broadcast last Saturday evening (9 July).

In the TV show, Home-Start families had challenged Jennifer and her school friends to transform their new, but run-down building. The star and her mates had just five days to create a parents' chill out room, training kitchen, reception, conservatory and enchanted garden for the families and volunteers who use the charity's building in Rupert Road, Knowsley.

Home-Start Knowsley is an independent charity with 51 volunteers who supported 83 families last year. It is part of the national Home-Start network which recruits and trains volunteers to support parents with children under five years old. The charity acts on a very simple idea, allowing parents to help other parents who are struggling with problems as varied as isolation, multiple births, bereavement, illness, disability or post natal illness.

At the event Jennifer will meet many of the families who are supported through the charity, either through home-visiting work, or through its family and toddler groups, Christmas parties and summer trips, and specialist support groups.

"We wanted to be able to say thank you for her continued support, " said the organisation's manager, Jacqui McElhinney. "When she won us just over £90,000 in Hell's Kitchen, we couldn't believe our luck. We bought this building with the proceeds. And now she's done this for us too. We are so grateful.

"There are many Home-Start schemes on Merseyside and across the North West. I hope this will help raise awareness of their work too, and encourage volunteers and funders to support their work in their local communities.

"And on Friday, while we make her a cup of tea in our new kitchen, Jennifer will be able to come and re-inspect the quality of her workmanship!" she added.

To find out more about Home-Start, to volunteer or donate to the charity's work phone: 0800 068 63 68 or log on to http://www.home-start.org.uk for information and to find your nearest Home-Start Scheme.

ENDS
13 July 2005

NOTES TO EDITORS:

More detailed work of volunteers and families from Home-Start North Wirral was also shown on 9 July in a linked, half hour programme on the Community Channel called With A Little Help.

Other Home-Start schemes in Merseyside:

· North Wirral (Birkenhead) - just received a £298,800 Big Lottery Grant which saved it from closure

· South Liverpool

· Southport and Formby

· St Helens

Home-Start national figures: Since Home-Start began 32 years ago volunteers, who are parents themselves, have helped more than 250,000 families and 500,000 children in the UK and with British Forces in Germany and Cyprus

Contacts:

In Merseyside: Jacqui McElhinney, Manager, or Joanne Greer, Administrator, Home-Start Knowsley. Tel: 0151 4803910.

Home-Start UK: Annie O'Brian, Press and PR Manager

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