Home-Start is a civilian voluntary organisation.  We are committed to promoting the welfare of families with at least one child under the age of five.  It’s about ‘Parents supporting other parents’ - A simple idea but it really works!

Being a parent is not always easy; everyone needs a helping in hand at sometime!  Home-Start volunteers offer regular support, friendship and practical help to families in their own homes.

 Home-Start Volunteers Can Offer:

•        A listening ear
•        Help with children
•        Reassurance
•        Practical and Emotional support
•        A confidential friend

Home-Start volunteers are not ‘home-helps’, nor do they provide a free baby-sitting service; although practical help may often be part of a visit.  The role of the Home-Start Volunteer is that of a family friend who is willing to give help to others without being judgemental.

So if you have a couple of hours spare each week and feel you could offer a little support to families in the WSBA, or would like some further information about becoming a Home-Start volunteer please contact: 

Julie Wink or Nicola Cunningham on 2596 3748 at Episkopi or

Mel Taylor on 2527 6069 at Akrotiri

Article from Cyprus Lion

by Julia Andrews, WSBA reporter

published on: 26 Feb 2010

The holidays can present problems for parents in coming up with activities to occupy the kids, and never more so than when a partner is deployed.  So, again, Episkopi HIVE came to the rescue with another Deployment Activity Day (DAD) to help occupy and educate the children, and adults, of these ‘headless’ families.

The weather was beautiful, allowing the children to spread out and paint a huge soldier outside the HIVE, where they could also sample a variety of ‘treats’ from the ration packs.  Inside the HIVE was a hive of activity as children were treated to face painting, nail painting, colouring, biscuit icing (and eating!) as well as writing and drawing fax-blueys to send to their absent dads or mums.

HIVE information officer, Vikki Reid commented, ‘We’ve had a great atmosphere here today, and we really are here for everybody.  Obviously 2 LANCS make up a large percentage of the community at Episkopi, but we’re here to support the whole community and that will include families from all the services including those who are deployed, those about to deploy, those recently back or those who just want to give the kids an insight into what will happen when they go away at any time.’

Vikki raises money to fund these activity days by charging a small fee for advertising on her noticeboards.  Attendees at the activity day also benefitted from the time and practical help given by members of 2LANCS as well as CESSAC stepping in to provide paints for the activities and Exchange Stores kindly recycling old curtains to use as protective floor covering for the messier activities!  The Army Families Federation (AFF) WSBA Rep, Lisa Flanagan was also on hand to help with the activities and to help with queries for the AFF.

The Cyprus HIVEs have recently launched their new website at www.hivecyprus.co.uk.  This is an excellent facility for those who don’t have access to the military CyprusNet and features a calendar of events at all the bases as well as a ‘sales and wants’ board and lots of useful information.  Don’t forget to keep an eye on the new website for news of the Easter activities planned at Episkopi, as well as lots more going on around the bases.

Episkopi HIVE is open Mon–Fri, 0800–1230 hrs.  AFF Rep Lisa Flanagan is available at the Episkopi HIVE from 0830–1030 every Tuesday and at Akrotiri HIVE from 0830–1030 on Thursdays.