A children’s charity set up after funding cuts recently received a double-whammy of awards at a prestigious countywide event.

Home-Start Herts was born out of six individual schemes which merged in 2016 when funding cuts hit - they now support more than 600 families with advice on how to give their children the best start in life.

It won both Community Champion and Social Enterprise of the Year at the Inspiring Herts Awards 2017, run by Herts Chamber of Commerce.

CEO Lara Norris said she was proud of all the volunteers: “We would have loved for them to be here with us tonight, but obviously that wasn’t possible, so instead we wore a scarf, every star on the scarf had the name of a volunteer or member of staff on it.”

Strategic manager Suzy Moody said they are overwhelmed: “It is great for Home-Start Herts to be recognised and to have the opportunity to celebrate what we have achieved over the last year.”

She thanked supportive local businesses.