This Christmas, Home-Start Royston, Buntingford & South Cambridgeshire is taking part in The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2024 – an incredible opportunity to DOUBLE your impact for local families facing difficult times.
From midday on Tuesday 3rd December to midday on Tuesday 10th December, every online donation will be matched, meaning £10 becomes £20, £50 becomes £100, and so on. It’s the perfect way to make your festive giving go further and support families who need it most.
UPDATE: WE’VE REACHED OUR TARGET!
A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who donated to the 2024 Big Give Christmas Challenge matched funding campaign and helped us hit our £10,000 target!
Why Your Donation Matters
At Home-Start, we provide essential support to families facing a range of challenges, including isolation, mental health struggles, bereavement, and financial crises. Last year alone, we helped 102 families, including 226 children, through our Home-Visiting Service and Family Support Groups. Our dedicated volunteers provide weekly, tailored support to families for up to nine months, building trust, boosting confidence, and offering practical strategies to help parents and children thrive.
Real Lives Changed
Max (5) struggled with school attendance after moving to a new area. His mum felt overwhelmed and lacked the confidence to engage with the school, which led to Max missing out on valuable early education. With the support of a Home-Start volunteer, Mum was empowered to work with the school, creating a plan to address Max’s needs. Today, Max is thriving at school, and Mum is more confident in handling future challenges.
Isabella (3) faced struggles at home as her mum dealt with mental health challenges. Isabella’s mum lacked the confidence to take her to preschool or engage with community groups. A Home-Start volunteer helped find a preschool for Isabella, established a routine, and addressed behavioural challenges. This early intervention also led to SEND issues being identified and properly supported.
Isabella’s mum shared:
“Speaking to someone outside the family made me realise I’m not doing it all wrong. My volunteer has been amazing and given me more confidence with my children.”
The Power of Your Support
In the past year, 63% of the families we supported had complex needs, requiring additional time and resources. 32% of these families included neurodivergent children, often needing guidance on referral pathways and accessing essential services.
We have a £200,000 fundraising target this year to continue providing this critical support. Your donation during The Big Give Christmas Challenge will help us reach more families like Max’s and Isabella’s, ensuring no one is left behind. Together, we can make a real difference in the lives of local families.
Investing in Early Childhood: A Business Case for Change
Recent research, written by business for business, makes the economic case for prioritising early childhood support. The report (Prioritising-early-childhood-for-a-happier-healthier-society-Report.pdf) highlights how investing in early childhood and supporting those caring for babies and young children can lead to substantial commercial benefits. It demonstrates that a happier, healthier workforce is directly tied to the wellbeing of children today, leading to reduced absenteeism, less attrition, and greater productivity.
Investing in early childhood support also has wider economic benefits, contributing an estimated £45.5 billion to the national economy annually – £27.5 billion in additional earnings for the workforce, £11.8 billion in profits for businesses, and £6.2 billion in tax revenue for the Government.
How To Donate
Supporting Home-Start this Christmas is easy! Simply visit our campaign page between midday on 3rd December and midday on 10th December to make your donation:
- Go to our campaign page: Big Give Christmas Challenge
- Choose the amount you’d like to donate.
- Your donation will be matched, doubling the support we can offer to families in need.
You can also make your donation via BACS if your donation is £500 or more, and this will still qualify for match funding. Below are the steps you’ll need to follow:
- Set up a Big Give Donor Account: Visit the Big Give website and create your donor account here: https://biggive.org/donation-funds/.
- Enter Your Donation Amount: Once your account is set up, you’ll complete a short form specifying the amount you’d like to donate.
- Receive Bank Details: You’ll then be provided with unique bank details linked to your donor account.
- Make the BACS Transfer: Transfer your chosen donation amount to the virtual bank account provided. (Note: This is a virtual account, so your bank may not verify it automatically. If needed, Stripe can provide a letter to confirm its authenticity.)
- Check Your Donor Account Balance: Once the funds are received, your donor account will be credited with the same amount as “Donation Funds.”
- Make Your Matched Donation: During the campaign (midday 3rd December to midday 10th December), log into your donor account, go to our campaign page, and click “Donate.” Follow the steps to donate from your Donation Funds.
It’s really important to complete all the steps above during the campaign week to ensure your donation is matched. Just transferring the funds doesn’t count as the final donation!
If you have any questions or need further support, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Call 01763 262262 or email admin@hsrsc.org.uk.
Together, We Can Make a Difference
By supporting Home-Start this Christmas, you’re helping to create brighter futures for children and families in our community. Let’s make this season one of hope, connection, and generosity.