21 year old Rosemary Cottle is one of the 52 volunteers and six trustees who give their time in Shepway and the surrounding area

Rosemary was nominated for the award by staff at the Folkstone-based charity. Sam O’Connor, manager, said, “Rosemary is a young parent herself and she wanted to volunteer here because of the support she had received in the past from Home-Start Shepway.

“She helps to do all the planning with groups, has great confidence and can run and organise a group with little or no support.  She is welcoming of new families and pregnant mums. The group leader says Rosemary is her ‘wing man’, makes her job possible and that she loves working with her.  She is never phased by running a group as lead facilitator, she has great ideas and enthusiasm and is valued by all our staff, by outside agencies and by families that use any services she is involved with.

See how Rosemary first heard about winning the award, and hear from her colleagues about what makes her special:

“We have watched Rosemary grow in confidence over the last year", continued Sam. "She is our youngest volunteer and gives us at least seven hours a week and is always happy to do more. Yet she is an amazing mother to her son Jaiden and will always balance out her commitment to Home-Start with her family life. Rosemary has such a positive influence on the families who use Home-Start, and is an inspiration to young mums.”

After receiving the award, Rosemary said,

”I felt really happy and overwhelmed that I had received the award and that the scheme had nominated me. I enjoy everything that I do at Home-Start Shepway and look forward to the future.”

Before the awards ceremony, Rosemary and the winners of the other Home-Start national volunteer award categories were treated to a pamper afternoon, courtesy of The White Rose School of Health and Beauty, and afternoon tea with Kirstie Allsopp.