Struggling parents receive much-needed grants

Home-Start works with families across the UK to provide non-judgmental, compassionate and bespoke support for parents and guardians struggling with the challenges that come with starting a family.

Home-Start Oxford received £3,000, which went towards running a free weekly baby and toddler group that offers a welcoming space for families with children under five. The sessions support parents who may be facing challenges associated with parenting, providing them with an opportunity to socialise with other parents, and allowing the children to enjoy dedicated time to play and form friendships.

Home-Start Banbury, Bicester & Chipping Norton was also nominated to receive £2,000 by shoppers at Tesco Banbury and used the grant to facilitate their one-to-one home-visiting service, which provided tailored support to 63 families in the area through regular visits from trained volunteers. This work helps build parenting confidence, improves family wellbeing, and strengthens homes facing challenges.

Finally, customers at Tesco Didcot and Abingdon selected Home-Start Southern Oxfordshire to receive £1,000 to help deliver their weekly Baby & Me group at Didcot’s District Community Centre. The initiative provides a safe, supportive environment, run by expert staff, for parents and babies to connect, aiming to reduce loneliness and promote early development through interactive play and socialisation.

Katharine Barber, CEO at Home-Start Oxford, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to receive such vital funding from Tesco’s Stronger Starts scheme. Fundraising is always tough for charities, so when the opportunity came up to apply for a grant, we jumped at it.

“For our Home-Start’s across Oxfordshire, such grants allow us to continue our work in providing much-needed support for families as they navigate the pressures of raising young children and manage challenges that include mental health issues, poverty, disability, refugeehood, isolation and domestic abuse, etc.

“As you can imagine, we’re seeing more and more families coming to us for help, and with these grants, we are ensuring we can continue to offer that to them. We’re truly thrilled and want to thank all the customers who voted for our teams for their support."

Together, these grants have enabled Home-Start to continue its excellent work in providing families throughout Oxfordshire with the support they need to give their children the best possible start in life.

Claire De Silva, Head of Community at Tesco, said: “At Tesco, we’re proud to be able to give back to our communities and support initiatives that genuinely make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

“It’s fantastic that shoppers across Oxfordshire selected Home-Starts to receive a range of grants, enabling them to continue their life-changing work with families and children through various networks designed to support and strengthen parents and improve the lives of families for a brighter future.”

Tesco’s Stronger Starts grants, in partnership with Groundwork, aim to support local community projects and good causes. They are on a mission to help 5 million children thrive by 2025.

Oxfordshire shoppers can support local community groups by dropping their Tesco blue token, which they receive at checkout, into the relevant voting stands as they leave the store.

For more information about Home-Start and the work they do, visit www.homestartoxon.org.uk/

To apply for Stronger Starts funding, go online at www.tescostrongerstarts.org.uk