A VOLUNTARY organisation which offers support, friendship and practical help to families with children aged under five has won a £205,000 lottery grant.

Home Start Blackburn, Darwen and Hyndburn has been awarded the cash to continue its work in helping lonely and isolated parents, families with twins, triplets or other multiple births, families where there is ill health or other disabilities and special needs, lone parents, mothers who have postnatal depression or families new to an area.

Volunteers visit the homes of parents to give them a helping hand in difficult circumstances.

The Home Start organisation was formed in 1973 and there are now more than 200 schemes with more than 5,000 volunteers visiting families throughout the UK.

John Easton, chairman of the Blackburn, Darwen and Hyndburn branch, responded to the good news.

He said: "I would like to express thanks on behalf of the management committee to all the staff and volunteers whose hard work has made our success in getting this grant possible.

"I feel that the fact we have been selected to receive this grant is a clear testament to the important work that Home Start does for the communities that it services.

"I also feel that this grant is a just reward for the professional standards of work of our staff, and also is just a reflection of the time and personal commitment of our volunteers, without whom we could not provide the service we do.

"Thanks also go to the members of the management committee for the time they give to help running the scheme.

"And I feel special thanks should go to the senior organiser, Donna Bailey, for the time and effort she put in to preparing and submitting the bid."

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