A cash starved charity that has spent decades providing a vital service to families in Newham is appealing for help in raising funds to keep it going.

Home-Start Newham aims to improve families’ quality of life and the life chances of disadvantaged adults and children.

It does this through recruiting and training local parents to support families in their own homes. We work to build the parents’ confidence and skills to empower them with the tools to change their own lives, and thereby improve the quality of life and life chances of their children.

Home-Start Newham began in 1989 although it is part of a national organisation.

Shadna Miah, a spokeswoman for the charity, said: “Newham is a deprived, multi-cultural community in London’s East End and the need for an organisation such as Home-Start supporting vulnerable families is clearly visible as we have over 21 years’ experience of improving outcomes and the quality of life for parents with pre-school children.

“In 2010/2011 we worked with 54 families, 84 children under five and 53 children over five- years-old, with only two co-ordinators both working part time. We had 40 volunteers supporting families through the year.

“Last year has been one of our most difficult years due to funding issues.”

The charity currently has 41 volunteers supporting families and is hoping to raise �100,000 which would cover its core costs for four part time staff, rent, volunteer training, volunteer expenses, stationary.