Vivien Waterfield, Deputy Chief Executive of the charity, Home-Start UK, has been awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire Medal) by King Charles III in his New Year’s Honours for her dedicated work for families and children over a quarter of a century.

Over 25 years, Vivien has played a pivotal part of the Home-Start federation’s impact for thousands of families and children. Responsible for national fundraising, communications, and external relations, Vivien has built notable successful partnerships to support Home-Start’s work across the UK. 

Vivien has built notable funding partnerships to support Home-Start’s work - including with national and devolved governments, the National Lottery Community Fund, and a range of long-standing trusts and foundations – all focused on ensuring families and children get the support they crucially need. During the pandemic, a partnership with the DCMS Loneliness Fund, saw local Home-Start’s receive funding to reach over a thousand mothers and their children so that they could combat isolation during lockdown. In 2022, Vivien secured a long-term partnership with the Pears Foundation to create a Breathing Space scheme for local Home-Starts that is providing crucial funding to frontline work with families. 

During the pandemic, Vivien led work with the John Lewis Partnership that saw Home-Start featured on the John Lewis Christmas advert as part of the Give a Little Love campaign – raising Home-Start’s profile and working with local Home-Starts to maintain services to families.  Current partnerships include BT, Sofology, White Stuff, Cadent and ongoing work with John Lewis and Waitrose are all helping Home-Start to make a real impact across the UK.

Vivien joined Home-Start UK in 1998 as the charity’s first Corporate Partnerships Manager and was appointed Director of Fundraising and Communications in 2008.  In 2012, she was promoted to Deputy Chief Executive. The award was announced in the King’s Honours List in January 2024 with the CBE appointed to individuals for prominent roles at national level and for distinguished and innovative contribution.

Responding to the announcement, Vivien said “I am honoured to receive this award for work I am so passionate about. I accept the award on behalf of the whole Home-Start network to recognise the work of every volunteer and staff member who work tirelessly to support families across the whole of the UK and who have been doing so for the last 50 years. Every day they inspire me to do the same and it is a privilege to have had the opportunity to support such vital work for 25 years.”

The news comes as Home-Start UK celebrate 50 years of supporting families across the UK. Since supporting the first family in Leicester in 1973, Home-Start has grown its home-visiting model across the UK and around the world. Home-Start's approach to working with families demonstrates the power of relational support and the lifelong impact it has on children, families, and communities.

Lin Hinnigan, Chair of Home-Start UK said “I am delighted that Vivien has been recognised for her dedication and service to supporting families. Vivien is a natural leader, and it is a pleasure to work alongside her as part of the Home-Start federation to achieve real impact for families and children. Vivien’s warmth and passion is central to building so many long-term partnerships that have enabled our charity and federation to grow over many years.”

James Sainsbury OBE, Honorary President of Home-Start UK said “In a year when we are proudly celebrating 50 years of Home-Start, it is a real delight to recognise Vivien’s contribution and commitment for half of this time. Vivien has been central to this incredible charity for so long, helping to build our work in communities across the UK. Home-Start’s support for families and parents has never been more needed and so for Vivien to receive this much-deserved Honour, is a fantastic achievement for everyone involved across the whole Home-Start federation.”

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