Home-Start Guildford

15/10/2026

We were delighted to be the chosen charity for this year's Women in STEM celebration at De Vere Horsley Estate.

The event brought together inspiring women from across a range of STEM professions for an afternoon of networking, discussion and shared experiences, while raising awareness of the importance of confidence, resilience and opportunity.

A huge thank you to Jane Tyson, Mayor of Guildford (Guildford Mayoralty), for her support, and to Anna Coates, Kate Shaw and the team at De Vere Horsley Estate for selecting Home-Start Guildford as their charity partner and hosting such a fantastic event.

We were also proud to see our Trustee, Vicky Roberton, take part in the panel discussion, and delighted that Sarah Hammond joined us to sign copies of The Adventures of Petie.

Thank you to everyone who attended, purchased a book and contributed to the fundraising. Your generosity and support help us continue being there for local families when they need us most. 💜

08/10/2026

☕ Love local history, tea and cake? Here's a wonderful opportunity to enjoy all three while supporting local charities. 💜

Why not join her for a Talk, Tour & Tea at the historic Abbot's Hospital on 27 October? A wonderful morning of local history, tea, cake and community support.

Places are limited, so book early!

06/10/2026

📱 Fancy winning and iPhone 18 Pro and supporting us at the same time?

Play the Guildford Community Lottery, choose Home-Start Guildford as your cause and you'll be supporting local families with every ticket 💜

🎟 Just £1 a week
🏆 Great prizes to be won
💜 Provides funding to support our families

Play today - you've got to be in it to win it! 🤞

06/10/2026

WOW 🤩 What an amazing morning celebrating the launch of the fantastic children's book 'The Adventures of Petie' 📖

It was just wonderful to have both the author Sarah Hammond and Illustrator Peter McNiven there with us, bringing the story to life and sharing a little more about the book behind the pages.

A huge thank you to for their incredible generosity and hospitality. It was the perfect setting for such a special morning, especially with the sun shining! ☀️

The best part....ALL proceeds from 'The Adventures of Petie' go directly to Home-Start Guildford, helping us continue supporting local families when they need us most 💜

If you'd like to know more about 'The Adventures of Petie' take a look at our website: https://hsguildford.org.uk/a-little-book-making-a-big-difference/

Or purchase your copy online: https://papermoonbooks.co.uk/products/the-adventures-of-petie-signed?variant=59370997154137

Huge thank you to everyone who came along, brought a book and supported us, it was an amazing morning and couldn't have been done with you!

05/10/2026

We're excited to announce that 'The Adventures of Petie' is now available from Paper Moon Bookshop in Guildford.

A big thank you to Hannah and Jack for their support. 💜

05/10/2026

A huge thank you to Tracey Bowen for delivering two excellent first aid sessions for our volunteers. 💜

The training covered both emergency and paediatric first aid, providing valuable knowledge and practical skills that are particularly important for our home-visiting and group volunteers as they support families with young children. We're incredibly grateful to Tracey for sharing her expertise and helping our volunteers feel even more confident and prepared in their roles.

03/10/2026

02/10/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us this afternoon for Home-Start Guildford's Annual Review.

It was a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the past year, celebrate achievements, and recognise the incredible community that makes our work possible.

We were delighted to hear opening remarks from Jane Tyson, the Mayor of Guildford (Guildford Mayoralty), followed by updates from our Chair, Robert McCall, and Director of Services, Natalie Blagrove, who shared highlights from the past year.

Natalie also presented our financial review for 2025-26, highlighting the importance of regular giving and the impact supporters can make through the Patron-led Home-Start Angels initiative.

One of the most powerful moments of the afternoon was hearing from one of our home-visiting volunteers, who shared both her own volunteering journey and her family's story in the parent's own words. Her heartfelt reflection highlighted what it means to build a trusted relationship with a family and see first-hand the difference that support can make, while the parent's story demonstrated how trust, compassion and consistent support can help families build confidence and look forward to a brighter future. Together, their experiences illustrated the transformative impact of Home-Start's support and served as a moving reminder of the difference that volunteers make, not only to the families they support, but also in their own lives. 💜

We were also pleased to hear from our Patron, Rob Kelly, who spoke about The Adventures of Petie, which was launched yesterday and is now available to purchase from various local outlets. Visit our website to find out more: www.hsguildford.org.uk 📖

A huge thank you to everyone who attended, including our volunteers, supporters, funders, partners and friends. Your support helps us continue to be there for families across Guildford when they need us most. 💜