A national charity with a base on the Isle of Wight has teamed up with ITV's popular show The Masked Singer to encourage new volunteers to come forward in 2022.
Home-Start trains volunteers to work with families with children under the age of five across the Island, offering ongoing support in the home, as well as group sessions and other events.
The message comes as the charity — which has branches nationwide — will work alongside The Masked Singer to encourage parents to talk about the reality of raising children, particularly during the pandemic.
Karen Rivlin, Home-Start IOW chairperson, said:
"The pandemic has increased social and financial pressures, further isolating people. Living on an Island can make that sense of loneliness even more acute.
"We’d love your help as volunteers or by donating funds we can use for training volunteers and supporting families. Please get in touch with us.
"The #behindthemask social media campaign aligns with Home-Start’s values of encouraging parents to come forward and talk openly about their struggles, something we need to hear a lot more of from families on the Isle of Wight."
During the show, which launches on January 1, parents will be encouraged to share their honest, unfiltered parenting experiences on social media using the hashtag #BehindTheMask.
You can donate to Home-Start or find out more about volunteering here.