A NEW voluntary organisation that has made its "home" in Bury is ready to start helping families cope with stress.

Home-Start Bury, based at Bury Business Centre, has a team of volunteers offering regular support, friendship and practical help to families with children under five who may be struggling to cope with the pressures of daily life.

The idea for a local branch of the organisation, which has more than 300 schemes in the UK, was generated last March with a National Lottery grant of £161,000.

Now the scheme is up and running and its organisers want to let everyone know with an official launch of its services on Friday, April 14.

Home-Start co-ordinator, Mrs Naomi Walker, said: "Although the money was allocated 12 months ago the organisation was only set up in August. We had to find a suitable location, furnish it and recruit the volunteers before we could introduce the scheme to Bury families."

She added that volunteers have just completed a 10-week training course at the Mosses Centre covering a variety of subjects, including first-aid, child protection, equal opportunities, confidentiality and different attitudes to family life. Mrs Walker said: "It has been very exciting and we have been warmly welcomed by statutory and other voluntary organisations in Bury. The 10 volunteers are fantastic and they have now got a lot of skills.

"I am constantly amazed at the warmth of the volunteers and that they continue to give their time. They are someone the families can really appreciate."

She added: "Home-Start is a totally unique service in that it is the only voluntary organisation that relies on volunteers that are parents themselves. The families know that the person they are talking to has actually experienced what it is like to have been up all night or for a few nights."

The organisation can deal with anything from helping lone-parent families and those who have just moved into the area and have no family or friends nearby, to mums suffering from post-natal depression or parents with multiple birth families.

Families can be referred by professionals such as GPs, health visitors and social workers or can contact the scheme direct on 0161 763 6335.

Mrs Walker said the launch, at the Met Arts Centre, will be attended by more than 120 guests from statutory and volunteer organisations, including police and social services, as well as Bury South MP Ivan Lewis.

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