Val and Di - “I feel like I’m in control of my life now.”
Three years ago Di found herself on her own with week-old twins. She didn’t have any friends or family nearby, and was recovering from a difficult birth and struggling with post-natal depression. Val Morris from Havering in London has been supporting Di as a Home-Start volunteer for the past two years.
Di says,
“I heard about Home-Start through the Health Visitor in 2006, shortly after my twins were born. My partner walked out when the twins were a week old. I was on my own.
From the moment I met Val we just clicked. She’s now a friend to me and my kids. I know that I can absolutely trust Val. She helped me come out of my shell. It progressed from her encouraging me to go for a walk on the High Street to going to the park to joining playgroups. She has been a tremendous help to me.
I feel like I’m in control of my life now. Back then everything was spiraling out of control. Thanks to the support I get from Home-Start I have flourished and grown as a person. You can’t place a monetary value on it. I was really alone. I don’t feel alone anymore.”
Val says,
“A lot of people nowadays don’t have an extended family to help them. There are a lot of single mums trying really hard on their own.
I was placed with Di and the twins, who were my first family, two years ago. The children were eleven months old at the time. I became like an auntie. I visit every Tuesday afternoon and take the children to the park or look after them. We spend two to three hours together a week and we chat and play with the children.
I’ve built up a really good rapport with Di and the children. We’ve become good friends.
I feel like I’ve helped Di a lot because she’s on her own with the children. I give her support, which I know she appreciates. It’s the satisfaction of helping someone who would otherwise be really on their own. I feel really appreciated and I really enjoy it.
I would recommend it. It’s only one afternoon a week and it’s not too big a commitment. It’s very rewarding. You feel that you’re helping and you should never underestimate that help - it’s invaluable.”
