Volunteer Gail Gibbs has only one regret about joining Home-Start Warrington and that is that she didn’t sign up sooner.

The mum of one from Orford feels like she has got her ‘life back on track’ since lending a helping hand to the Warrington Guardian’s charity of the year.

She said: “It has really lifted my spirits as I had been feeling down for a while. Since I started it’s been absolutely brilliant and I’m so glad I did it. I wish I could have done it sooner.”

Gail trained as a volunteer in January after reading about the scheme in the Warrington Guardian and has since helped two families that are struggling to cope in the town.

The 38-year-old knows only too well the difficulties life can throw at you after she gave up her job to look after her daughter, Kirri-Jo, who was diagnosed with autism aged four.

But now that her daughter is happy and settled in the additional needs provision at Woolston Primary School, Gail is now giving up her spare time to help others in need.

“I was determined to do something this year that I was going to enjoy and I wanted to get back into the land of the living,” said Gail.

Volunteering with Home-Start Warrington has given Gail the boost she needed and provided her with a new lease of life.

“The most rewarding bit is that every single day, the families are so grateful for your help. It makes it worthwhile.”

Home-Start Warrington recruits and trains volunteers, who are parents themselves, to offer friendship, practical help and support to families with young children.

Families in need of help often have a complex or diverse range of issues to deal with and the charity’s aim is to help give children the best possible start in life.

For more information call 652320 or visit homestart-warrington.org.uk.