A CHARITY which helps struggling families in Kirklees is appealing for volunteers.

Home Start Kirklees is looking for people with childcare experience who are willing to visit a family for a few hours each week.

The charity, which was founded six years ago, offers practical and emotional support to struggling families with at least one child aged under five.

The families can be struggling for many reasons. Some include mothers who have post-natal depression.

Others may be asylum seekers with no local support from family or friends.

The volunteers are not expected to be experts, but must understand the difficulties of bringing up children.

Volunteers - who are all given training - spent almost 8,000 hours in visiting families in Kirklees last year.

Volunteers are also needed for duties like delivering equipment such as cots, pushchairs, clothes and toys to families.

This equipment is second-hand and distributed through the Home Start Recycle Scheme.

Brenda is a Home Start volunteer driver.

She said: "I thoroughly enjoy delivering recycled goods to our families. We ensure all the equipment is in good condition.

"The donations are always gratefully received."

Although Home Start Kirklees only started six years ago, the original Home Start scheme was set up in 1973 in Leicester.

The Mayor of Kirklees, Clr Mary Harkin, is raising cash for the charity during her year in office.

Anyone interested in volunteering for Home Start Kirklees should phone Michelle on 01484 665258.