About Us
Bringing Hope and Support to Families Across West Berkshire
Home-Start West Berkshire recruits and trains dedicated volunteers from across the borough to support families facing challenges. We reach rural communities including Hungerford, Lambourn, Kintbury, Aldermaston, Burghfield, Theale, Pangbourne, Compton, and The Ilsleys—ensuring families in isolated areas receive the help they need.
Once trained, our volunteers are carefully matched with a family in need. They visit the family’s home for 2-3 hours a week, offering a listening ear, practical help, and emotional support. Families often describe our volunteers as “a ray of sunshine” or a “lifeline,” making a real difference when it matters most.
Our volunteers find the experience deeply rewarding, witnessing firsthand the transformation as children begin to thrive and parents regain confidence.
Established in 1997, Home-Start West Berkshire operates from Broadway House in Newbury, providing a welcoming central hub for both families and volunteers. While affiliated with Home-Start UK, we are an independent charity, managing our own funding and operations. With guidance from a regional consultant and rigorous quality assurance processes, we ensure the highest standards of support.
We rely on grants, donations, and fundraising efforts to continue our vital work. As a registered charity (No. 1111171), every contribution helps us bring hope and practical help to families across West Berkshire.
Would you like to get involved? Whether as a volunteer, donor, or supporter, you can make a lasting difference.
Meet the Home-Start West Berkshire team
The Home-Start West Berkshire Team comprises of the following people:
Grace Green
Grace, our dedicated Director, first joined Home-Start West Berkshire as a volunteer in 2009. Returning as a leader in 2016, she now oversees the charity, ensuring vital, compassionate support reaches families facing challenges when they need it most.
Becky Soroko
Becky joined Home-Start West Berkshire in May 2024 as Office Manager. With her exceptional organisational skills, she ensures the office runs smoothly and plays a key role in supporting our fundraising efforts, helping us make a bigger impact in the community.
Clare Gumley
Clare, a dedicated volunteer since 2011, later became a Family Coordinator. She now leads our impactful Foundations school readiness project and the Healthy Families Project, working tirelessly to empower families and ensure children have the best start in life.
Kate Dempsie
Kate joined Home-Start as a volunteer in January 2022. Kate quickly became an indispensable as a volunteer and joined our staff team in January 2025. Kate runs the Family Mental Health Project providing compassionate support to families facing mental health challenges, offering guidance, reassurance, and practical strategies to help parents and children navigate difficult times and build resilience.
Michelle Evans
Helen Crispus-Jones
Helen joined Home-Start as a volunteer in March 2023 and quickly advanced to Postnatal Peer Support Group Clinical Psychologist in April 2023. With expertise and compassion, she now leads transformative groups every Tuesday and Thursday.
Sarah Young
Sarah Young joined us as a Postnatal Peer Support Group Worker in March 2021. With dedication and warmth, she now runs our three Healthy Families Groups, supporting parents across Newbury andThatcham during term time.
Laura Chaffer
Laura joined Home-Start West Berkshire as a volunteer in September 2021 and soon became our Baby Bank Project Coordinator. With past experience, she’s built a thriving Baby Bank service, supporting local families in need.
Resources for parents
we can help you regain confidence and be the parent you want to be. Find out more about soem of the areas we can help with.
Support for parents
Being a parent has never been easy. It can be lonely, frustrating, heart breaking and over-whelming. All parents struggle at one time or another. You are not alone. Home-Start’s expert staff and trained volunteers work alongside families just like yours to give non-judgmental, compassionate and confidential support.
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