Tower and Town, September 2020 (view the full edition)The LitFest And Home Start KennetHome Start Kennet is a charity which helps local families with young children experiencing tough times. Volunteers provide weekly support in the home to help parents cope with challenges such as: isolation, mental health issues, multiple birth and bereavement. Support is free and as individual as the families need; it could be giving a hand, taking the children to the park or helping sort out a problem a parent can't face alone. Often listening makes all the difference. The volunteers are continuing to help families during these difficult times, offering phone support whilst the pandemic restrictions apply although they look forward to resuming home visits as soon as they can. The LitFest has given a donation to buy books and so provide opportunities for the children, their parents and the volunteers to share the joy of reading. The volunteers will take the books on their family visits, which will sometimes be as gifts for a child on a special occasion, when it's time for a volunteer to say goodbye, or simply to have some fun time. Sarah Sharland |