Local children from underprivileged families will be benefitting from a £15,000 grant from Yorkshire North & East Ridings Freemasons to the Home-Start (Hull) charity.

Home-Start (Hull) has been supporting families with children under five years old since 1982. Since then, the number of children they have supported is over 10,000.

Home-Start (Hull) supports families through highly trained home-visiting volunteers, providing vital assistance to qualified staff across the organisation. Alongside the practical and emotional support offered to any family with a young child in Hull, more focussed support can be accessed on different projects, such as Families in Mind (FIM) for parents with long-term mental health conditions, Partners and Dads (PADs) for the male support network in the family, and Parent Infant Wellbeing (PIWB) for those with children under 2 years, offering guidance for the First 1001 Days of a baby’s life.

The grant funds the continuation of the Family Support Worker service. Delivered since October 2023, the role of the Family Support Worker supports those families with some of the most complex needs or requiring short term support before a volunteer becomes available. The role ensures that those with time-sensitive needs are assisted quickly or before a suitable long-term volunteer match can be identified. Some of the key challenges the Family Support Worker works to address are support with managing children's behaviour, identifying prospective nurseries, preparation for school and education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP’s), and children and parents with additional physical and learning needs, hoarding, and more.

Local families face increased challenges as Hull is one of the most deprived areas in England according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD):

• 34.7 per cent are eligible for free school meals, making it the highest in the Yorkshire and Humber region (2024/25)
• 33.2 per cent of children are living in low-income families, which is above the 19% England average (2023/24)
• The earnings gap for families in Hull is 18 per cent lower than the England average
• Home-Start families support the most vulnerable people with 50 per cent of parents suffering a mental health condition, 19 per cent have physical disabilities and 72 per cent say they feel isolated.

The grant from Yorkshire North & East Ridings Freemasons come through the Masonic Charitable Foundation, which is funded by Freemasons, their families and friends, from across England and Wales.

Caroline Watson, Scheme Manager at Home-Start (Hull), said:

“We’re very grateful to Yorkshire North & East Riding Freemasons for this generous grant. Despite facing one of the toughest and most uncertain periods for funding in our history over the last few years, our staff, volunteer and trustee team’s passion and commitment never waver. This grant from the Freemasons is not just support—it’s a lifeline that ensures we can continue delivering vital help to families with the most complex needs. Thanks to this generosity, we can keep transforming lives when it matters most.”

Chris Thomas from Yorkshire, North & East Riding Freemasons, said:

“I’m very pleased we’ve been able to help Home-Start Hull with their hugely important work supporting some of the most vulnerable families and children in our community. The assistance they offer is absolutely essential to the thousands of children they will be working with from across Hull.”

The picture shows Jo Boasman, Co-ordinator at Home-Start Hull  (left) with parents and children enjoying a Home-Start (Hull) open morning together.