We’re three friends (Claire, Lindsey and Gemma) who met when our children started primary school (over 10 years ago!). We’ve decided to take on the Maldon Mud Race to raise as much money as possible for Home Start Essex.

Why on earth are we doing this? Well, we all love a crazy challenge, we’re always up for a laugh and with 9 children between us we know how challenging those first years of raising a child can be.

For us, those challenges were made easier by having friends and family to support us. Not everyone has a supportive network around them – or even if they do the curve balls of life sometimes make it all just a bit too difficult to get through it without some extra help. So we’d like to do something for those families where things are even tougher in those first years of parenting.

Claire has worked for Home Start Essex for almost 2 years now and has seen first hand the invaluable work the charity does through its incredible volunteers, supportive family groups and wellbeing and behaviour support services. We’d love to raise as much money as possible to help provide even more support to Essex families.

We’ll be getting absolutely covered in mud raising money for this fantastic charity so please sponsor us to make the lengthy clean up even more worthwhile!

Home-Start Essex supports parents to ensure that every child has the opportunity to grow up in a happy and healthy environment.

Our goal is to give children the best possible start in life.

We Support Children (under 5) and their Families within Essex, who maybe experiencing:

• Living in Poverty

• Physical or Learning Disabilities

• Domestic Abuse

• Rehomed or living in Temporary Accommodation

• Struggling with Mental or Physical Health Issues

• Suffering with Social Isolation

• Suffered from a Bereavement.

Home-Start Essex provides support by:

• Volunteer Family Support Mentors - Assisting Families in their Own Home

• Family Support Groups Groups also include dedicated children’s SEND groups.

• Wellbeing support Groups

• Providing Essential Items to those Living in Poverty or in Temporary Accommodation

• Behavioural Support for parents of children with additional needs and SEND support.

• Counselling Services

• Telephone Support

Need for our Services

• Since the pandemic, we have had a dramatic increase in demand of our services by 134%.