Home-Start UK is using International Women’s Day to highlight the remarkable achievements of its partnership with British fashion and lifestyle brand, White Stuff.

All year round, Home-Start is empowering both the women they work with and the volunteers who form the backbone to support projects and services ensuring parents receive the support, care, advice and understanding to give their children the best start in life. International Women’s Day is an opportunity to shine the light on some of this work.

Home-Start UK and White Stuff began its partnership in August 2020 and they have since been dedicated to supporting communities and empowering women throughout the UK. 

Home-Start UK introduced White Stuff’s Empowering Women Project in 2021 and to date, 42 Empowering Women grants totalling £125,000 have been awarded to Home-Starts across the UK, supporting over 420 women.

Thea Karavasili-Campbell, Head of Corporate Partnerships at Home-Start UK praised the successful partnership saying, “In celebration of International Women's Day, it has been a privilege to support the Empowering Women Project.  The work Home-Start continues to do to empower women is incredible and the stories that we receive from Home-Starts and supported Mums as a result of this project leave you speechless. They are stories about and from empowered women.”

The Empowering Women projects covered a broad range of themes, including one-to-one confidence building, creating space through practical support, gaining new skills, and addressing perinatal mental health issues. 

Women supported from this work have seen an improvement in self-esteem, increased confidence in parenting, and there were transformative experiences for survivors of domestic abuse. The grants have also facilitated essential support for asylum seekers, refugees, and marginalised communities.

A Cotswold Mum who attended one of the funded baby groups said, "I live in the middle of nowhere and have no family or friends near me. I felt so alone and like my baby wasn't getting any interaction with the outside world and other babies, I felt huge mum guilt. The group made me excited about the week ahead, look forward to seeing people and talking to other mums, my baby loved it and I felt that guilt lift.”

Home-Start UK is grateful for White Stuff’s support, which has played an important role in empowering women and strengthening communities across the nation. The collaboration continues to make a lasting impact, emphasising the collective belief that supporting mothers positively influences the well-being of future generations.

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