PUDSEY has given a helping hand to a family support charity in Bury.

Home-Start Bury is to receive a £36,625 grant from BBC Children in Need over the next three years.

The charity will be using the money to fund a Rapid Response worker to support parents and their children living in areas of deprivation and suffering with poor mental health.

Kate Brookes, aged 54, manager of Home-Start Bury said: “We know we have families who are on the waiting list who could do with some rapid support quite quickly.

“It could be getting children into a good routine in a morning and boundaries and behaviour issues in children. Parents are finding it quite hard to say no.”

A Home-Start volunteer might be with a family for nine months, while a Rapid Response worker may offer their services to family for the afternoon to help with a specific need like budgeting.

Ms Brookes spoke about a mum she recently finished working with, who became partially sighted as a result of pregnancy.

She said: “The issue for her was giving up her licence and was due to go back to work. Part of the support was getting her used to buses and dropping her child off at nursery safely and independently.” The support enabled the mum to return to work part time.

Ms Brookes, who lives now in Littleborough, said: “We know many of our local families benefit hugely from having long term support from their Home-Start volunteer, however there are some families we work with who just need immediate help to set them on the right track.” This is where the Rapid Response worker will come in. The Bury team hopes to start recruiting for the position near to Easter.

Ms Brookes described the ideal candidate: “Somebody who was flexible, who understands the needs of families and can think on their feet.” Home-Start has been in Bury since 1999 and works to provide confidential support for families in their own homes.