Fulfilling career helping others began as a volunteer

A mother who became a volunteer with a charity that helps young families could hardly have imagined it would lead to a fulfilling career lasting 28 years.

But that is what happened to Elaine Rossall, who retires at the end of April as senior organiser for Home-Start Newark.

Elaine, who lives in Syerston, started as a volunteer with the charity in 1991, seven years after it was founded in 1984.

The youngest of her three children had just started school.

“I thought ­— what next? My husband worked away a lot and I didn’t want to be remembered for my dusting and polishing.

“I saw the advert for volunteers and I thought it was something I could do.”

Home-Start Newark helps families with young children deal with what life throws at them, supporting parents as they learn to cope and make better lives for their children.

Volunteers provide one-to-one support in a family’s home for a couple of hours every week, usually for a year or so, or until the parents feel they can stand on their own two feet.

“I felt I could relate to families and what they might be going through,” Elaine said. “It is just being a pair of helping hands, a listening ear, and not judging.”

She relished the role and two years later became an organiser with the charity, but continued being a visitor.

She has helped countless families in her time, including some in very difficult circumstances, such as having children being taken into care, or where domestic violence was an issue.

Some struggled with being in a new area, having money worries, through illness, or not having the support of family or friends.

But the one thing in common with every family was the pleasure gained from helping them.

“It is always a joy being around young children,” she said.

“You do get attached, there is no doubt, but the aim is to help families cope on their own and make yourself redundant.

“Ideally, you want to get to the point where families can sort themselves out. The idea is help them get out and about and build their own support network.”

Elaine juggled her Home-Start role with bringing up her children, Clare, Adrian and Jenny, but said the whole family, including husband Paul, had benefited.

“I think they would say their lives have been enriched by Home-Start,” she said.

They would often go with her to events run by the charity, and she said it helped them all appreciate their own good fortune.

Now a grandmother of four, Elaine is looking forward to spending more time with them, but said she would miss Home-Start hugely.

“I have been incredibly fortunate to have had a job I loved,” he said.

She will be succeeded as senior organiser by Sara Grant, a Home-Start organiser whom she has worked with for seven years.

Elaine has seen Home-Start Newark move into its new home at Newark and Sherwood District Council’s offices at Castle House, Newark, and said the time for retirement was right.

“I have overseen the move and settled the finances, and with Sara there will be a smooth transition,” she said.

Elaine, who was awarded the MBE in 2009 for her services to Home-Start, will continue helping youngsters in her role as chairman of the governors at Newark Academy.

She said the success of Home-Start Newark was down to the support of the community, the staff and volunteers.

More volunteers are always needed, ideally parents or grandparents themselves. The next preparation course is in May.

Elaine would do it all again.

“It’s been much more than a job for me; it’s been a way of life,” she said.