A COTSWOLD charity which offers emotional and practical support to struggling families has received royal recognition for the work that they do.

Home-Start Cotswolds welcomed Dame Janet Trotter OBE DBE CVO, Lord-Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, to Cirencester last Monday (September, 10), where she presented the charity with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

The prestigious award, signed by Her Majesty The Queen, was received by two of the organisation’s long standing volunteers, Bridget Plant and Janet Smith.

Dame Janet told the assembled guests that the QAVS committee – chaired by former broadcast journalist Sir Martyn Lewis – were impressed by the charity’s provision of parent-to-parent support and the high level of satisfaction expressed by their volunteers.

She also revealed that this year, the committee had received the most nominations ever from Gloucestershire-based organisations.

Home-Start volunteers provide non-judgmental practical and emotional support to families struggling with depression, isolation, physical health problems and many other issues.

They help parents as they learn to cope, improve their confidence and build better lives for their children.

Chair of trustees for the charity, Christine Hall, said: "We are thrilled that our volunteers have been recognised in this way.

"Without them – and our trustees who are also volunteers – we could not help the families that we do to cope with the many challenges they face."

Home-Start Cotswolds are currently recruiting volunteers for their next training course, which starts in January 2019.

For more information, please visit home-start-cotswolds.org.uk or call 01285 885391.