16 - 21 December 2008

10am - 5pm

Elvina Watts	Hazel Albarn	Keith Albarn
Laura Hutchinson	Livvy Wotton	Lydia Corbett
Peter Rennells	Rosemary Bonney	Saz Skinner
Sally Witts	Gill Cox	Joanna Martins
	Inka Gabriel

With the aim of raising the charity's profile and raising much needed funds to support families at times of stress, Home-Start South Hams is staging this vibrant exhibition of contemporary painting, sculpture, glass and jewellery.

Watch this space for further details of events planned during the week-long exhibition.

"Many parents, desperate to do the right thing to give their children the best possible start in life, find they are fighting against the odds. Circumstances beyond their control mean they are faced with isolation, sickness, disability or mental illness. They might be very young parents, or have given birth fo triplets or quadruplets, or be living with domestic violence."
James Sainsbury, Chair of Trustees, Home-Start UK

"Home-Start offers a unique service providing support, friendship and practical help to families with at least one child under five. Volunteers, who are parents themselves, visit the families in their own homes on a regular basis offering informal, friendly and confidential support.

Home-Start believes that children need a happy and secure childhood and that parents play the key role in giving their children the best possible start in life. Our volunteers help parents deal with those times that are particularly challenging, such as bereavement, multiple births, post natal depression and many others."

Home-Start South Hams was set up in January 1999 by a group of local people whose aim was to offer support to young families who might be described as vulnerable, at risk, or in any way experiencing stress. Within a few years the charity had supported in excess of 300 families and over 600 children in an area that covers 350 sq miles.

Last year, the team of trained and experienced volunteers gave over 8.000 hours to support families at times of stress.

Home-Start South Hams is the only established, specialist befriending support service available in the area, and currently supports an average of 60 families per year.

The overall support aims are:

To support families to build natural support networks

To encourage family/volunteer involvement in, and posititve contribution to, their communities

To promote positive parenting

To prevent family breakdown

To improve families' and volunteers' life/employment skills

Home-Start South Hams also supports families where children are on the Child Protection Register.

Harbour House 2008 ©