Home-Start supports families struggling to cope with a range of problems - from the everyday to the overwhelming.

Amongst the areas where help is at hand are:

Loneliness and isolation

Relationship difficulties

Coping with twins/triplets or several pre-school children

Ill health, disability or special needs

Lone parenting

First-time parenthood or new babies

Coping with bereavement

Post-natal illness

Children's behavioural issues

Almost 16,000 trained volunteers support nearly 34,000 families and over 71,000 children throughout the UK.

There are six Home-Starts across Nottinghamshire, which support 697 families across the county.

Volunteers usually visit a parent in their home once a week for a couple of hours. How they help is down to the needs of the family.

A new campaign for Home-Start, sponsored by Bold2in1 Gel, saw a mobile phone booth tour the UK inviting families to enter and have a "loving squeeze" and their photo taken in return for a small donation. Stop-offs included Tesco at Top Valley.

Celebrities including Martine McCutcheon, Hannah Waterman, Lisa Butcher, Amanda Lamb, Nell McAndrew and Sharron Davies have been among those supporting the awareness campaign.

You can get in touch with your local Home-Start through the website www.home-start.org.uk or call 0800 068 6368.