Home-Start Portsmouth is celebrating its anniversary with a month-long fundraising challenge

The Portsmouth charity is celebrating its anniversary, which will take place on November 10, by setting a 30-day fundraising challenge in which the team and supporters will take part in activities.

All of the money that is raised across the month-long challenge will be pumped back into the charity which sees an army of volunteers support families with young children when they are going through difficult times.

The charity fundraising challenge will see the volunteers take part in challenges and events such as a three day 300 mile bike ride from the Home-Start office, the Great South Run, raffles, 30 good deeds, sweepstakes, wine tasting evenings, afternoon tea and much more.

Natasha Solanki, fundraising and communications manager at Home-Start Portsmouth, said: ‘Offering support to families for 30 years is a huge achievement and we are extremely grateful for the community spirit and excitement surrounding our month-long event, but it is bittersweet.

‘It is heart-wrenching to see the need for our support increase every year and the need for our services rapidly growing in the city. We couldn't do it without our incredible volunteers who give up their time to support families facing huge difficulties in their lives.’

The volunteers support families when it is desperately needed and they provide home visits where they will spend two hours in a family’s home as well as offering support programmes, and free stay and play groups.

The team offer support to families that are experiencing bereavement, isolation, cancer, financial struggles, post natal depression, domestic abuse, long term illnesses and more in order to give families and children the best chance in life.

Anita Woodcock, chair for Home-Start Portsmouth, said: ‘Our volunteers really are changing lives and throwing parents a vital lifeline during their most challenging times.

‘I am exceptionally proud of the team at Home-Start Portsmouth and incredibly grateful for the support we are receiving from across the city as we celebrate our 30th anniversary.’

On November 10, there will be a celebratory event at the Square Tower, where the team will announce how much money has been raised across the month-long challenge.