Families charity Home-Start Wessex is delighted to welcome Belinda Hewett as their Head of Operations. The new Operations role has been created as the charity works hard to keep up with rising demand.
Last year, Home-Start Wessex helped a record 402 families, their highest-ever number and a 63% increase year on year. After Home-Start West Dorset became a victim of the funding crisis in October 2023, Home-Start Wessex immediately extended its reach to support families in West Dorset, including Dorchester, Weymouth, Portland, Bridport and down to Lyme Regis.
Having worked for NHS for forty years, Belinda has developed a wealth of transferable skills, qualifications and knowledge. Most recently, she was Matron of Women’s Health Gynaecology at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust. She led her team through change and transformation while delivering safe and effective gynaecology services. Belinda was also involved with outreach sessions, working with external voluntary charities to promote their services through the women’s health team.
Kathy Fryatt-Banks, CEO of Home-Start Wessex, said, “Belinda has demonstrated a commitment to managing, supporting and leading people through prioritisation of strategic projects, significant change and timely transformation across a range of services including the Trauma Service and Women’s Health Gynaecology. Her positive, proactive, solutions-focused approach and ability to engage with a range of people will be incredibly valuable to our team as we continue to adapt to the changing needs of local families and accommodate our newly expanded region after the closure of Home-Start West Dorset last year.
Belinda said, “I wholeheartedly believe in the Home-Start Wessex mission and values. Being a parent myself and having experience supporting vulnerable women within an acute organisation, I understand the needs of families with young children. I am excited to embrace the opportunity to support the team in maintaining our current services while expanding across West Dorset. Home-Start Wessex is a proactive, energised and wholly committed team. I can see that everyone is working together with solution-focused energy to achieve the Home-Start Wessex vision and support families when they need us most.”
Since 1995, Home-Start Wessex has helped over 3,500 local families and supported over 10,000 children in Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and beyond. Their reach covers the Purbecks, Swanage, Weymouth, Dorchester, Bridport, the whole of the BCP Council area, including Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch, across the borders of Hampshire and Wiltshire, going as far north as Cranborne and Fordingbridge and as far east as New Milton. Their volunteers offer friendship, practical support and advice to families who are facing difficulties, including poor mental health, depression, disability, domestic abuse, bereavement, isolation and multiple births.
Their service is in more demand than ever. If you can commit to 2-3 hours each week to help, please contact [email protected].
