Dunmurry volunteer urges people to give the gift of time at Christmas

Local volunteer Tracey Brown is helping Home-Start Lisburn & Colin launch its ‘Give the gift of time’ volunteer appeal which aims to inform and inspire local people to volunteer an hour a week to support local families through this unprecedented crisis.
Local volunteer Tracey Brown is helping Home-Start Lisburn & Colin launch its ‘Give the gift of time’ volunteer appealLocal volunteer Tracey Brown is helping Home-Start Lisburn & Colin launch its ‘Give the gift of time’ volunteer appeal
Local volunteer Tracey Brown is helping Home-Start Lisburn & Colin launch its ‘Give the gift of time’ volunteer appeal

Tracey (39) from Dunmurry knew exactly what she was signing up for when she joined Home-Start Lisburn & Colin as a volunteer in the autumn of 2019.

Having experienced first-hand the positive impact a Home-Start volunteer can have on a local family, Tracey was passionate about making sure there was someone there for parents when they needed them most because childhood can’t wait. She registered as a volunteer in 2019 and had only started her training when COVID-19 led to a lockdown. Unfortunately, she knows the charity really needs more volunteers so it can reach out to more local families to ensure that they stay connected, provide emotional and practical support and link families into other community services in 2021.

Tracey and her family were one of many families that Home-Start Lisburn & Colin helped over the years. Speaking about how Dorothy, her volunteer, helped her family over eight years ago, Tracey said: “At first I was nervous about getting help but I had four children under four and I knew I needed just a little support to get me through the difficult time. Then my family was matched with our volunteer, Dorothy and it was a match made in Heaven. I was immediately put at ease and from day one Dot became a part of our family.”

Though Home-Start’s support for Tracey finished a few months later, Tracey never forgot how Dorothy had been there for her when she needed her the most and nearly eight years later Tracey decided it was time to give the gift of time and help another family out just like she had been. “Dorothy changed my life, now I want to give another family the same chance I had,” Tracey continued. “I knew I was in a better place and position where I could give something back last year and I felt it was the right time to get involved. I am really looking forward to meeting the family I’m matched with in 2021 as I strongly believe that through compassion, understanding a gift of time,”

Julie Corry, Home-Start Lisburn & Colin Co-ordinator said: “We need volunteers like Tracey to help support local families especially through these challenging times when many families feel pushed to the point of breaking.”

To find out more visit www.home-start.org.uk.