HOME Start Kennet is looking for volunteers with parenting skills to work with young families who need support.

Each year Home Start, which is a national charity, helps thousands of young families up and down the country.

Home Start Kennet covers the Kennet district with its head office in Marlborough and satellite offices in Devizes and Tidworth.

It has been established in Marlborough for 15 years, said senior organiser Beverly Sherman, and has gradually extended the area it covers to include the military bases at Tidworth, Bulford and Lyneham.

Home Start was set up to help young families who find difficulty in coping with the pressures of life, often because modern lifestyles mean that young husbands and wives are many miles away from their own parents.

Mrs Sherman said: "Visits take place once a week and because of the nature of today's transient population many families need a friend when their relatives and personal friends are not around."

Home Start wants volunteers who are able to listen, offer advice, to accompany young mothers on appointments or help them shopping.

Each family helped by Home Start has different needs, according to Mrs Sherman.

Part of the role of a volunteer is to help raise the self-esteem of the young parents they help.

One young mum told Home Start: "Knowing she (a Home Start volunteer) would be visiting got me through those early weeks.

"She helped me forget about all my worries and anxieties for a while which meant I could put them in perspective."

Mrs Sherman said Home Start needed volunteers able to devote about two hours a week. Training will be provided.

Prospective volunteers can contact Home Start on (01672) 515686 and the next training course starts on September 25 in Devizes.