Summer 2011 Newsletter - Volunteer Centre Dorset

Volunteering for the National
Coastwatch Institution
Ghostly goings on
in Dorchester ?
European year of the volunteer
Sherborne goes multicultural
Get involved now in your area
Summer 2011 Free Newsletter
There be Dragons!
Island Community Action
European Year Of The
Volunteer
West Dorset Outreach
2012 Projects
East And Purbecks
A Watching Brief
Ghostly Goings On !
North Dorset Outreach
Events Calendar
Silas Alfonsi
(Administration Volunteer )
Hi There,. I’m Silas and have been
volunteering at the Volunteer
Centre for about two months now.
I’ve been spending most of my time drinking tea, and
eating biscuits if I’m honest. But I do work occasionally.
Mostly data entry which is great. I never thought I would
volunteer for anything, but now that I’m here I really
enjoy it. Even though I have recently got a job, I think I’m
going to carry on. I have been unemployed for 2 years
which is annoying, and sitting at home was starting to get
very frustrating. So I have decided to try and start my
own business, it will be web based, when my computer
isn’t turning itself off for like no reason. I imagine that I
will eventually become a millionaire dragon tycoon of
business mastery! Other than plotting world domination
and fixing my computer. I also go to the gym 5 times a
week which is probably a few to many but I balance this
out by eating a lot of food. Working for the volunteer
centre is great. It gets me out of the house and provides
real work experience. ‘Thinking about it, this is one
of the best jobs I’ve ever had…..and I don’t even
get paid’
Silas Alfonsi :)
Registered Charity Number: 1113758
Company Number: 5685988
Editor: Craig Womble
Desktop: Shaun Hollywood,
Jasmine Metcalfe, Frances Kirby
Front cover
Portland Lighthouse
Deadline for next issue:
29th July 2011
We take no responsibility for any errors or omissions
made in this publication. Inclusions of any training, article
or information does not mean we recommend these
services.
Silas, is now In full time employment with
Weymouth and Portland Borough Council.
Well done Silas, and good luck from all at the
centre.
Open
Address:
Contact us
Monday to Friday, 9am-4pm
Volunteer Centre Dorset,
1 Colliton Walk
Dorchester DT1 1TZ
Telephone: 01305 269214
Email: info@volunteeringdorset.org.uk
Website: www.volunteeringdorset.org.uk
www.volunteeringdorset.org.uk
In support of Dorset v
Over the past 3 years the Centre has seen the huge impact a
well run organisation can have on young people’s lives.
Dorset V have established themselves as a group fully
committed to changing lives not just ticking boxes. Working
with young people who need additional support to fulfil
ambitions and work towards goals, the project workers, and
staff have become friends and mentors to many fantastic
people. On a personal level I have been involved in many
projects including creating sensory loss gardens, garden
makeovers, arts projects, residential’s, festivals, sports events,
and community functions, and have been amazed how much
these young volunteers have to give. However they all need
time and support to build confidence to make this
contribution meaningful both for the community and themselves. At the Centre, we fully understand that volunteering
is a reciprocal process, giving and receiving to make it
enjoyable. Organisations want to support their volunteers but
need the resources to achieve this. Therefore having the right
people is essential for this transition to continue. The service
created by the Dorset Youth Association and Dorset V has
had a significant effect on the centres ability to signpost, and
place young volunteer across the county and has also
increased our ability to provide ‘fully inclusive’ service open
to all irrespective of age, gender, religious, sexual orientation
and ethnic origin. We are happy to support and provide
advice and brokerage into further volunteering. However, to
achieve the support, it is essential that trained and
experienced support workers are retained in some format.
The current V team have staff that have the right level of
training and experience to risk assess, recruit facilitate, and
monitor. These are vital components when developing fun yet
functional sessions for young people with additional needs
We cannot continually undermine things that are making
a difference, especially when we are trying to support
future generations during an economically demanding
time. Therefore the work achieved by Dorset V should
not be underestimated at a local level .
European Year of Volunteering
“European Year of Volunteering officially launched in
England!
To launch the European Year of Volunteering 2011 and
celebrate the contribution of the Civil Service Benevolent
Fund’s (CSBF) volunteers in its 125th year, Volunteering
England partnered with the Fund to host a parliamentary
reception on Monday 24 January. Civil Society Minister Nick
Hurd MP spoke alongside Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus
O’Donnell, representatives from Volunteering England and
the CSBF. The web portal of the EYV2011 Alliance is
also live, offering resources and a number of ways for
organisations to share information on issues relating to
the European Year of Volunteering.
... News and current issues
Join Volunteering England’s
campaign to cut the red tape!
Volunteering England believes that nothing should
be easier than giving your time to help other
people. The truth is that there are a number of
things that often stand in the way of someone
volunteering. Some of them real barriers; others are
myths and misunderstanding; some are good old
fashioned bureaucracy. The aim of this campaign
is to cut though some of this red tape – real and
imagined – and let people know how easy it is to
help out in their community. Volunteering England
has
produced a leaflet dispelling some of the
common myths, for example:
Myth: You can only volunteer for sixteen hours
a week if you receive state benefits.
Fact: Your volunteering hours are not limited, as
long as you continue to meet the conditions of
your benefit(s). You must talk to Jobcentre Plus,
your local council or whoever pays your benefit
(s) before you start volunteering.
Myth: Voluntary groups that work with children
and vulnerable adults have to check every
volunteer with the Criminal Records Bureau
(CRB).
Fact: Checks should only be made for roles that
meet the CRB’s eligibility criteria. If an
application for a check is not justified, you
could be breaking the law, as well as creating
unnecessary bureaucracy.
The complete list of eligible posts is available at
crb.homeoffice.gov.uk Volunteer Centre Dorset has
joined this campaign and would like others to
support this. There are a number of ways you can
get involved, ‘like’ the campaign on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/
freevolunteeringfromredtape
Link to Volunteering England’s campaign page
from your own website/social media sites.
•
Contact the Volunteer Centre for more details/
information leaflets with more myths and facts.
•
To find our more of the work done to reduce red
tape so far and get involved with
specific initiatives go
to:www.volunteering.org.uk/
freevolunteeringfromredtape
•
To help Volunteering England develop the campaign email policy@volunteering.org.uk with your
own experiences of bureaucratic barriers
Its all systems go, at Island
Community Action on Portland,
who have recently changed their
name from Island Volunteers for You
By Katy Pascoe Helping Hands Manager
Katy Pascoe
Everything’s, all systems go at Island Community
emphasis on the elderly, isolated and disabled. Over
the next few months we will be concentrating our
efforts on recruiting volunteers that have the time,
Action on Portland. We’ve recently changed our
energy, enthusiasm and skills to help people to live
name from Island Volunteers for You (IVY) and
independently in their own homes. We hope to be
moved into a fabulous new office in the Easton
able to offer support with gardening, DIY, shopping,
Centre, right in the heart of the community. We’re
just around the corner from the shops, the church, the car trips, befriending, pet care and administration.
But we need help to make these plans a reality.
doctors and one of the Islands largest schools We’re looking for people who wouldn’t mind getting
perfect! Along with these changes we’ve also been
their knees muddy weeding for an elderly lady who
able to employ new staff and plan to build upon the
fantastic work that we already do, providing activities loves to watch the seasons bloom. Or perhaps help
and services for older and vulnerable residents of the someone to hang a picture of their first great grandchild, or move furniture around to
Island.
make more space for a Zimmer frame.
As a result of our successful Big Lottery
We also know that the impact of
bid, we have been able to purchase a
‘Whatever your volunteers going in to check on, or,
shiny new ‘8 seater community car.’ It
situation, we’ve have a cup of tea and a chat with
has wheel chair access and can provide
got a volunteer- those unable to leave their own home
much needed transport for hospital
is enormous. In fact, our research
appointments, shopping trips, lifts to
ing opportunity shows that just the knowledge that
clubs and group outings. We are always
that will suit you’ somebody will phone regularly to
looking for volunteers with a clean
make sure everything’s okay
driving licence to help us deliver this vital
decreases feelings of loneliness and
service. It’s a great way of meeting new
isolation.
people and is a very flexible form of
Whatever your situation, abilities or experiences
we’ve got a volunteering opportunity that will suit you.
It could be providing physical, mental or emotional
support to those that need it, manning our trolley at
Our new larger office space also means that we can
‘partner up,’ with more organisations looking to have Portland Community Hospital, working in our busy
office, driving one of our community cars or baking
a regular presence on the Island to offer advice,
cakes to support our memory café for sufferers of
information or support across a wide spectrum of
dementia and their families. In return, we can offer a
specialities. One such visitor will be Jim Hart from
wide range of support from ‘buddy’ systems, to
Volunteer Centre Dorset. Together we hope to
regular team meetings and jollies! Training
encourage any organisation on Portland that relies
on, or needs more, volunteers to achieve their goals, opportunities are available to all our volunteers who
choose to take advantage and we even provide a
and to register their volunteer opportunities on V
badge with your name! But the best thing that people
Base. Individuals interested in volunteering will then
be able to find the right placement for them, whatever get volunteering at Island Community Action is the
knowledge that by doing a little they really are helping
their skills, knowledge, availability or interests are.
a lot!
Today the office is busy planning new services and
opportunities to improve the lives of the most
vulnerable members of our community, with an
volunteering. If you’re free when we phone, fantastic!
If not we’ll just continue down the list and maybe you
will be available to help the next time we phone.
Diane Cooper
Portland Museum….
The Portland Museum is located in an historically rich area of
the island, being surrounded by Rufus Castle, old St Andrew’s
Church and Pennsylvania Castle. The Museum itself is housed
within two early 17th Century cottages which contain wonderful period features as well as a modern gallery. The island’s
long history and its heritage is portrayed in the galleries,
which focus on archaeology, historic buildings, maritime
heritage, Victorian life, geology, fossils and quarrying.
Volunteering at the Museum is a rewarding experience and
we welcome anybody able to give any amount of time to help
preserve and maintain the Museum for future generations.
Tasks include working in the shop, collections management,
cleaning, conservation of artefacts, gardening, maintenance of
the building and events management. Volunteers are also given the opportunity to go on a variety of
accredited courses and full training will be given for any tasks undertaken. As a community asset, we
provide events for children and adults throughout the year. We also provide an educational service,
so anyone volunteering will form part of a team dedicated to keeping the island’s history alive.
Big Grove Summer
Festival….
The Big Grove Summer Festival takes place this year on
Saturday 9th July at the Bowl, off Grove Road on Portland.
This locally run event is in its 5th year, having evolved from a
small school summer fayre into a large family music festival.
We have live music all day from noon and activities and stalls
for the whole family. Further expansion is planned over the
next years, leading to the proposed revival of the Portland
Carnival. Money raised for the community last year
amounted to £2,000, which went to local organisations and
charities. If you think you could help in any way at all
please ring 07896 424797 (Sarah) or 07765780142
(Jane). We need volunteers to man stalls, help put up and
take down marquees. prepare the site, marshal parking, and
clear litter afterwards
Island Play (iPlay)
Island Play (iPlay) is a registered Portland charity run by a group of
parent volunteers who are working to create and improve play and
leisure opportunities for children, young people and families on
Portland. They have been running free themed play sessions at
various locations around the island throughout the holidays and at
weekends, providing sports, fun and games and arts and crafts.
Recently the group received more than £9,000 in funding from
COMMA fund and Hall and Woodhouse Community Chest. These
awards have been used to invigorate their project to ensure that
events for 2011 are even better than before. Island Play are always
looking for new volunteers and in return for giving up their time, iPlay
is able to offer its volunteers training to develop the skills and
confidence involved in running sessions. Visit the group’s website
www.islandplay.org or their island play page on Facebook for more
information. You can also call or text the iPlay iPhone on
07791 359677.
ICA, 6 Reforne, Easton. DT5 2AL. Telephone: 01305 823789
Email: islandcommunityaction@btconnect.com
Sport is a universal language. At its best it can bring people together no matter what their origin, background, religious beliefs or economic status"
Kofi Annan UN Secretary General
DORCHESTER
ONE WORLD FESTIVAL
SUNDAY 10 JULY 2011
11.00 - 4.00
KINGS ROAD PLAYING FIELD
A fun, family day of activities
Would you like to be part of it ?
We are looking for people from every culture to take part either as a
Team, or as individuals – try out Kabaddi (a Bangladeshi game),Tug o’
War and other fun, organised sports!
Fantastic, free activities for ALL ages. Could you showcase another Country –
or your Country of origin by hosting
food making / taster workshops, music, song, dance, art and craft skills, or can
you display, present or demonstrate something culturally unique from around the
globe?
STALLS
REFRESHMENTS
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
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Dor
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BID
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Event hosted by ‘Speak Easy Dorchester’
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Sherborne Douzelage is working with Volunteer
Centre Dorset (VCD), Dorset Youth Association,
Sherborne Area Partnership (SAP) and the Gryphon School to organise a project of three events
on the subject of Volunteering during 2011/12.
These events will involve participants from seven
EU partner towns, each in a
European
country. Each of the towns will send
delegates
to all three events and students from Sherborne
schools will take part, but the project can only be
successful if volunteer groups also participate. The
programme provides an
opportunity for
voluntary organisations to showcase the work
they do, share best practices, learn from others in
the field and build
volunteering organisation or skills. schools will take part, but the project can only be successful if volunteer groups
also participate. The programme provides an opportunity for voluntary
organisations to
showcase the work that they do, share best practices, learn from others in the field and build volunteering organisation skills.
EU Funding approval will be known soon, but we
wish to identify local organisations to participate
in the project.
Volunteering opportunities available include,
presenting your organisation’s best practices,
hosting visitors, running activities, guiding foreign
visitors, web site creation, DVD production,
publicity and transporting people around. If
you might be interested then please contact
Moira Western or Kevin Waterfall.
Email reply to:
moiraawestern@yahoo.co.uk and
kevin.waterfall@btinternet.com
Tel: 07825 152251
New Shop for Age
Concern!
Dorchester’s very own shop arrives in town.
The vision is of a shop selling good quality nearly new
clothes, books, music and home wares, but we hope
with a different feel. There will be an information
about the many services which Age Concern offers, a
wealth of information about everything to do with
growing older, as well as posters about what is
happening in the community. Like Age Concern’s
ethos at Rowan Cottage, we want the atmosphere to
be friendly and welcoming, so people can pop in talk,
browse, ask questions and feel they are listened to.
All the profits will be ploughed into local services for
local older people in Dorset, such as advice and
information, befriending etc.
So the exciting journey of this new venture begins.
As always, the most important part is the people.
We are looking for volunteers who would like to be
involved from the beginning, and you don’t even to
have ever worked in a shop before. The most
important aspect is that you are friendly and care
about people. We will need people to volunteer on
the shop floor plus behind the scenes sorting,
steaming and pricing. Full training will be given on
how to use the till, health and safety, pricing, and all
about Age Concern. If you love the feel of books,
music, or even antiques you could specialise in these
items. Regular volunteering opportunities on the
shop floor will be available in the morning or afternoon, but if you want to come as and when (ideal for
Mums with children,) you could be a sorter or pricer.
Working in a charity shop is great fun. Its Christmas
every day, as you never know what is in the next bag
and there is always an Aladdin’s Cave of unusual
items to price and display. Come and be part of this
new team.
For further information, contact Wendy
Hilton, Shop Manager on 01305 269444 or
e-mail shop@acdorchester.org
West Dorset
Outreach
Karen Jones on 07918639012. Email k.jones@volunteeringdorset.org.uk
Sitting here in my PJ’s tucking into a cuppa and a fortune cookie, my fortune tells me “It’s not the
time that counts but what you do with it.” This was the inspiration for the start of my page.
So what volunteering can you do in 5 mins or more in your pj’s from the comfort of the sofa with a
laptop? Daily, weekly, monthly or once a year? Here are a few suggestions below that I have
tried and tested.
After watching the Channel 4 Fish Fight programme earlier this year, like
many others I was angry at seeing that half of all fish caught in the North
Sea are thrown back overboard DEAD…so I went online, watched the
video and signed up. You can see this video for yourself at
www.fishfight.net and sign the petition to stop this insane waste.
As I write, 661,053 people are supporting this online campaign which is
making waves. Also there are many very good and easy fish recipes. You
can also join in the campaign on Facebook.
Want to change the world in just your pyjamas! Then Help From Home
have over 800 easy, home based actions that
benefit so many worthy causes. You can volunteer your time in bite sized
chunks from home and when you want to with no commitment to suit your
lifestyle. There are opportunities from under 1 minute to under 30 minutes
in 3 different categories of volunteer activities that are easy peasy fun and
quirky for potential volunteers. Log onto www.helpfromhome.org.uk and as
they say ‘volunteering is pyjamatastic.’
Well if you do not have internet connection or a computer, what can you do from
home or a comfy chair? There are many craft projects that are happy to even
teach you ‘How to…’ to be able to produce goods for charities such as knitting,
crochet and sewing. One such that I came across the other week is Project Linus
UK who make quilts for sick and traumatised children. If you can sew or quilt that
is a bonus but even if your sewing skills are limited to sewing on a button then
they offer training also. Angela Hartle runs this in West Dorset and further
information can be asked for from the Volunteer Centre.
You can also volunteer by using your phone from home and the organisation will
refund you for this. If you enjoy chatting over the phone you could phone someone
who is housebound, or elderly, or blind or ill. This could be just to find out how they
are, do they need anything the organisation could provide or just have a social
chat. Many people may have contact with less than 2 people over a week. Again
we have many organisations who could use your chatting skills.
I hope some of these suggestions give you ideas of what volunteering you could do from home.
Do please contact me on the above number if you want to find out what you could do or if you are
an organisation using home volunteers.
Karen
Ghostly goings on in
Dorchester..
(Peoples and places)
By Deborah Dalley photos by Steve Pallant
Just around the corner from the Centre lies 44
High West Street an unassuming building on a
popular street but there’s more to it than meets
the eye read on….
The Old Tea House, situated in High West Street
Dorchester was originally built by the church in 1635.
When the Civil War reached Dorchester in the 1640’s
the Abbott came to live here and bricked his beautiful
bible up for safe keeping from the Puritans in the front
room inglenook fireplace. This is now on Display in the
writer’s gallery at Dorchester County Museum. It is a 12th
Century manuscript in a 15th Century cover.
When we completed our restoration of the house 3years
ago we found a priest hole upstairs behind the fireplace in
the first floor Tea Room. Letters written in the 1670’s
were found with their wax seals unbroken. However it
took a whole year to get these translated. These were
found to be written by a gentleman called Ferdinand Maria
an ‘Elector ‘also known as the Peace Lover from Bavaria.
He was trying to persuade local courts to return lands and
titles seized from them during the Civil War.
A seasonal covering for the Old Tea House
As you can imagine with such an illustrious history.
there are many regular and strange occurrences
which cannot be explained including smells, of tobacco, regular sightings, of soldiers in period costumes and unusual orbs.
Consequently the building is a favourite of
paranormal investigators and is reputed to be
one of the most haunted places in England”.
• The 12th Century bible can be viewed in
Dorchester County Museum.
Later Years saw the Tea Room being used as a Holding
House in the times of Judge Jeffrey, a military shop in the
times of the Tolpuddle Martyrs (the BBC used the Tea
Room during the filming of the re-enactment of the
Tolpuddle Martyrs). In the Regency period it was also
used as the servant’s quarters for the house next door
and has been a Tea Room since 1902.
Thomas Hardy was a regular visitor here entertaining
other literary heavy weights such as Robert Louis
Stephenson and George Bernard Shaw.
Over the years current owners Derek and Deborah
Dalley have helped to organise Christmas Cracker as
well as supporting many vulnerable adults. They are
wonderful hosts who are only too pleased to
welcome customers old and new and talk about
such a unique building.
Derek is a chef who is passionate about using local
produce including cakes baked fresh every morning.
soups sandwiches baguettes. They also do a
‘fantastic hearty breakfast’. The building also has a
unique Bed and Breakfast suite and is also available
for private parties and business lunches.
Therefore if you if you do visit the
centre why not pop in and meet
the owners, “present, and past “
T
his year is a pivotal year for 2012
programmes which includes all groups
currently involved in developing
projects, as well as individuals working
to take part in local schemes. Recently
LOCOG held the first interviews in
the area at the Weymouth and
Portland National Sailing Academy for
Games makers. The Centre was
involved in supporting this as well as
interviewing the interviewers
themselves, and it was an exciting time
putting faces to names.
The candidates were exceptional and
we hope the enthusiasm shown will
cascade down to all those willing to
take part in the 2012 Olympic Games.
In partnership with several local
organisations including Team Dorset,
Volunteer Centre Dorset is now
heavily involved in the newly titled
Weymouth and Portland Ambassadors
Programme. This is modelled on the
Host City Volunteer programmes
operating throughout the Country
which will support the Olympic Games
outside the official venue areas.
Dorset will provide a similar HCV
Programme creating a range of
volunteering opportunities critical to
the success of the games in Dorset.
This will operate for a 57 day period
between July 20th and the 14th September 2012
These volunteers will provide the first
welcoming face in Dorset. Roles are
wide and varied and up to 700 will be
needed locally, some of whom will
require specialist skills, others just a
willingness to participate and bags of
enthusiasm. Training, uniforms and
local travel passes will be provided plus
meal vouchers whilst on duty. And as
always we will operate a fair and open
selection process to get the best
candidates.
Watch this space for launch
details.
Centre, Valerie Stevens one of the Centres Selection
Event Volunteers and a potential Games Makers
2012 PROJECTS
Therefore if you have not already
registered with Team Dorset or
ourselves, contact us now, it’s not
too late. Candidates will have to
commit to a minimum set of days
and be prepared to undertake
training days for their specific
roles. These may include,
spectator safety and welcoming.
Others will be recruited on their
existing skills and experience. All
those that are successful will gain
experience throughout the year
and will be expected to attend
several local events to gain more
experience.
Inspired by projects
The Centre held two workshops
for groups developing new
programmes in Weymouth and
Dorchester. These were facilitated
by Volunteering England. However
it’s not too late to advertise your
project through the Do- It website,
as a means of attracting more
volunteers. See the criteria on the
Centre’s website and contact us
for the latest advice.
2012 Projects
Still waiting to hear from us?
We have hundreds of volunteers
registered with the Centre who
are waiting to hear about local
2012 opportunities. Don't despair
we will contact you soon. We are
currently creating a skills base.
Once we know the roles available
we will contact all volunteers to
invite them to support local
initiatives. However we still need
more to register with the centre
especially those with multi-lingual
skills. .Other groups looking for
.
help Including
•
•
•
The Arts
Environment
Sports
Contact the Centre for
contact details of all groups
looking for volunteer support
• Supporting
the Queen’s
visit to the Sailing Academy
More training available
The successful Train of Events
Stewarding programme that the
Centre has been running over the last
2 years sponsored by Southwest
Forum will start this month. Places
are limited to twenty per course.
Titled “Introduction To Spectator
Safety” the first course will be held in
Weymouth on the 19th and 26 May.
With a second course beginning on
June 16th. Candidates undertaking
these courses with existing training
qualifications may be used as
volunteer trainers to support the
Weymouth and Portland .
Ambassadors Programme
Weymouth and Portland National
Sailing Academy are also looking
for more volunteers to help them
in the run up to 2012 by supporting
a number of events during 2011
Local stewards assisting at Poole
Pirates during training
This month we are looking at a ‘snapshot’ of current
opportunities that exist in the area
ST MARYS CHURCH – WAREHAM
Volunteers are needed to help receive visitors to the
Church, especially during the summer months. This
will also allow the Church to be open more often.
Please contact Norman Kilpatrick:
01929 553346.
SUE RYDER (Charity Shop)
Volunteers always needed for this and other Charity
Shops in Wareham. Hours to suit. Please contact Ken
on 07552122710 or pop in to the shop
CHRISTIAN CENTRE SWANAGE
Volunteers needed for helping in the Coffee Shop at
the Centre, especially if you can spare a couple of
hours from time to time to cover holidays and illness.
EAST DORSET DRIVING CENTRE
PURBECK CENTRE - WAREHAM
Are looking for volunteers who have time on their
hands, to help in any way they can at the Centre. The
Centre has superb facilities, Please contact
Sally James on 01929 557746
Is a charity situated at Holton Lee, East Holton, providing disabled people with the opportunity to ride
and/or Carriage Drive in
glorious surroundings of
Holton Lee to benefit their
health and wellbeing. The
centre is staffed entirely by
volunteers, disabled and non –
disabled people. If anyone is
interested in helping in
whatever way they can.
please contact Wally on 07790912770
e-mail wally.pitt@ntlworld.com
Ken Brearley
Ken Brearley, East and Purbeck Outreach
0755 2122710 k.brearley@volunteeringdorset.org.uk
Signposting the way
in East Dorset
Ken Brearley
ALDERHOLT COFFEE
MORNINGS
Being held at the Alderholt Reading Room, Forest
Edge, Station Road, Alderholt. This is run by
volunteers, to provide a service for the people of
Alderholt. Open Mon-Wed 8.30-1.30. If you can
help please contact Lewis Pearson at the Coffee
Shop or on 07805979827
WOOFABILITY
Require volunteers to help socialise their
growing numbers of ‘Golden Retrievers’ as part
of their training to help the disabled. For
weekend and weekly periods.
For more details please contact Jenny of Andy
on 01202 8726712
VOLUNTEERS FOR FERNDOWN
Numerous volunteering opportunities are now
available in Ferndown, from singing to driving. If
you have any spare time please give Ken a ring for
details.
BEFRIENDING SCHEME
The Primary Care Trust, POPPS and the Dorset
Volunteer Centre are working together in East
Dorset to put together a befriending service. Initially
it will operate using referrals received from the
doctors practises in the Wimborne and surrounding
areas, but with the intention to run it out and make it
available across East Dorset as soon as possible.
The scheme will hopefully work together with, or
alongside, other similar organisations; currently
running in these areas, these will include Friends of
the Practice, Church Visitors, and other befriending
schemes. Wimborne Care Home, National Trust
(Kingston Lacy), Moors Valley and schools in the area
are amongst those offering their services and wishing
to become involved.
If you would like to help as a befriender or to assist
with admin or in any other way, we would love to
hear from you. Just give Ken a ring or e-mail.
For the full range of opportunities in your area please log in to www. do-it .org.uk ,
alternatively if you would like to advertise for volunteers contact your FREE OFFER
outreach worker to register with the Centre ITS ALL FREE!!!!!!
NORTH DORSET NEWS….
Did you know? that I personally promote most organisations on my list of
Volunteering Opportunities on a weekly basis via my drop-in facilities? When clients visit me in the
different areas I will give them a variety of organisations to choose from in their preferred location – I
then either write to clients promoting the different needs for the area or, after some discussion, pick
relevant opportunities which I will give them on the spot to follow up. This could amount to about 15
opportunities per letter depending on how flexible the client is and what type of volunteering they are
looking for!
I mention this because for the Volunteer Centre it is so important for organisations to keep in contact
with us if volunteering needs change. I feel sure that you want us to promote your organisation in a
professional manner and that means getting the information correct.
Outreach Workers for the Centre now have the V base facility on their laptops. This V base is the
Volunteer Centres resource for managing your information. From this we are able to upload to a
national database called Do-it to promote the needs of your organisation. We can sit with clients
and look up your entry to find out what volunteering opportunities you can offer the ‘would-be’
volunteer. If this information is out of date then naturally we are giving clients the wrong information.
A broken toe! has recently given me the opportunity to learn more about the Vbase and
I have started contacting all organisations in my area to ensure entries are as up to date as possible.
You could help me! with this task by looking up your own entry
and checking that the information is correctly listed.
Here is how to do- it:
Go into the www.do-it.org.uk website, put in your own postcode this should then
bring up your own organisation. Click on the opportunities individually then click
on more information and check that we have the correct information for that opportunity. If you have
not been contacted in the last year, or if you have not contacted us recently, it is possible some
information will be out of date.
There are other ways to promote your volunteering needs:
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Western Gazette in the free advertising pages via the Volunteer Centre
Article about your organisation in our Newsletter
Let the relevant Outreach Worker know your needs to promote to clients and take to
local events
Come along to our events in the relevant areas
And if you have not already done so visit our website
We are here to assist your organisation so make use of us! Want to know more about how
Outreach Workers in your area can help you then please call:
Dianne Cooper, North Dorset, 07918639011
Karen Jones, West Dorset, 07918639012
Ken Brearley, East Dorset and the Purbecks 07552122710
Head Office 01305 269214 Dorchester
www.volunteeringdorset.org.uk
News and views….
We are always interested to hear your stories, “News and views”.
No names will be published unless requested. Letters can simply be posted
to : 1 Colliton Walk, Dorchester, DT1 1TZ or email to:
info@volunteeringdorset.org.uk Deadline for next issue 29th July
Dorchester Work Club!
The Volunteer Centre has been working with several
groups and individuals to help establish a new Work Club
in Dorchester. The new club is part of the GB Job Clubs
which currently has almost one hundred venues already
operating. The club is a charity, run by volunteers, for
anyone who needs help in finding employment. The club
offers advice and assistance with writing applications,
revising your CV, preparing for interviews and any other
skill that improves your chance of securing a job. The
club is open to anyone in the community. We hope it will
be especially useful for those who are unable to access
the government Job Centres.
The initiative to start a club in Dorchester came from
Oliver Letwin MP supported by Dorset County Council
and Volunteer Centre Dorset, following the success of
similar schemes in Shaftesbury and Gillingham in north
Dorset.
The club started successfully operating in April and we
already have a great team of volunteer leaders being
trained by Jane Gould of GB Job Clubs. But, we need
more leaders so the club can operate weekly. Current
leaders come from a variety of backgrounds including
public sector, industry and the services. Perhaps you’ve
been unemployed yourself and know what it takes to get
back on the ladder. Contact us and we’ll give you more
details.
The Volunteer Centre is working with the Work Club to
help anyone who would like to take up volunteering
whilst looking for paid work. If you have been out of
work for a while then volunteering can be a real help. As
well as benefiting a local organisation you can pick up
new skills, add to your CV, make new contacts and,very
important, get back your confidence. A recent survey
done by Volunteer Centre Dorset found that 14% of
people doing voluntary work went on to find paid
employment. In some industries, experience gained
through volunteering is very much valued by employers.
Any volunteers in Bridport? Now that Dorchester Work
Club is up and running it is intended to start another in
Bridport and again we’ll be looking for a team of
volunteer leaders. So, if you live in or around Bridport
and have experience or just an interest in helping people
into employment please contact us.
Jim Hart
Training and Development Coordinator
What a difference a volunteer‘or
nine’makes !
(The Martinsey Isle Trust)
Some time ago, I began to run a Resource and Drop-in
Centre from my home in Sturminster Newton, offering
impartial advice on issues around death, dying, bereavement, loss and green burial, as part of my work as a
Trustee for the charity The Martinsey Isle Trust.
Since then, a slow but steady stream of people has
come to the house to look at cardboard, wicker,
bamboo and recycled-paper coffins; books to browse,
borrow or buy; leaflets or contact numbers and to ask
for help and support in funerals or in sitting with dying
loved ones or talk about fears and hopes around death
and loss. Then, I found some beautiful people to help
me: people qualified in their own right in Soul Midwifery
(sitting with the dying); Community Liaison; Funeral
Celebrancy; Bereavement Care and the like - the
practical and emotional aspects, but also the parts other
beers cannot reach, the spiritual. The load is so much
lighter now because each of these people is now helping
me in my desire to help others and to give details of
other charities with whom we have links or hope to
work.
The volunteers are also supporting me to continue to
provide talks, workshops and events that, until now, I
have largely run single-handedly for so long. To mark
the opening of the Resource and Drop-in Centre Safe
Journey, now moved to a room in the Museum in the
centre of Sturminster Newton, Dr. Peter Fenwick, the
UK’s leading clinical authority on Near-death and Endof-Life Experiences, gave his highly informative talk
about his recent research, to a fascinated audience in
the Exchange on Tuesday 8th March.
The Centre is now open every Wednesday and
Saturday from 1 – 4pm thanks to my volunteers I couldn’t do without them now, otherwise by appointment. We look forward to seeing you, as a visitor, or as a potential volunteer.
Please do call
Judith Pidgeon
01258 475125
Phil Atley from the National Coastwatch Institution
explains all about a unique volunteering opportunity read on ..
In 1992 the Coastguard Service was reorganised in the
belief that radio and radar could replace visual
surveillance of the sea around our coasts. In 1994,
within sight of the then unmanned Coastguard Station
at Bass Point, Cornwall, two fisherman were drowned
when their trawler sank. As a result of this tragedy,
local residents volunteered to man the Lookout.
Hence the ‘National Coastwatch Institution’ , NCI, a
registered charity, was born.
From this beginning, many communities have
realised the contribution to safety that can be achieved
by the manning of former Coastguard Lookouts.
Volunteers provide the eyes that spot, plot and report
maritime and coastal activity. NCI now operates 44
Lookouts with a staff of over 2000 volunteers.
Dorset is well served by four NCI Stations-at Peveril
Point, Swanage, St Albans Head between Swanage and
Kimmeridge, on Portland Bill and at Burton Bradstock
overlooking Lyme Bay. Burton Bradstock is the latest
Lookout in the UK to open; it expects to be fully
operational by May once a staff of volunteers has been
created and trained. These Lookouts are manned 364
days each year – Christmas Day is a Holiday! Peverel
Point and St Albans Head are in operation from 09.00
am until 6.00 pm and 5.00 pm respectively or, in the
Winter, sunset if it is earlier, whilst Portland is open
from 7.00 am - 7.00 pm during the Summer and 8.00
am until sunset in the Winter. There are between two
and three shifts each day, St Albans Head expects a
volunteer to provide at least one half-day shift each
week whilst Portland expects its volunteers to give four
4 hour Watches per month; Peverel Point has a similar
requirement. Volunteers, both men and women, come
from a wide range of backgrounds teachers, doctors,
the police and all 3 armed services so you are assured
of enjoyable conversation during your watches. NCI
takes great pride in its ability to train its volunteer
Watchkeepers.
‘Even if you have no knowledge or experience of
boats, the sea, navigation or radar you will be
made very welcome’ After a couple of Watches to
enable you to decide if the task attracts you, you will
be allocated an experienced Watchkeeper as your
Training Mentor. There is a structured training
programme and only when you and your Mentor are
confident that you have the knowledge or skill that is
required, will be assessed. Thereafter you will be able
to monitor the radios and radar, survey the electronic
chart, plot and record the movement of vessels ranging
in size from kayak canoes to the largest motor cruisers
and so be on hand to assist the ‘Maritime and
Coastguard Agency’ in whatever it requests of you.
Why not plan a cliff top walk and visit one of the most
beautifully located NCI Lookouts St Albans Head. This
Lookout is some two miles from Worth Matravers.
Remotely situated, on the cliff edge, at an elevation of
320 feet close to the 12th Century St Aldhelm’s Chapel.
The Station enjoys commanding views along the
magnificent Dorset coastline. As long as there is not an
incident in progress the Watchkeepers on duty will be
happy to give you a brief first hand description of their
tasks. During 2010, NCI Stations were involved in 262
incidents, initiated 42 RNLI rescues and identified and
logged 462.084 vessels. If you would like more
information, telephone numbers for the Stations can be
found at www.nci.org.uk
Or contact Phil 01202881554
Dorchester Neighbourcar
Supported by POPPs and NHS Dorset Dorchester
Neighbourcar Scheme provides a transport service for
people without access to their own means of getting to
health-related appointments. Working within a radius of
5 miles centred on Dorchester the Scheme is operated
by Volunteer drivers. People using the Scheme pay an
annual access fee and a fixed mileage rate to cover the
driver’s costs and to provide a small contribution to the
Scheme’s administrative costs. If you have the need to
be taken to a health-related appointment please contact
the scheme administrator - Joan Hutson on
01305-269330 in the first instance. If you would like
to volunteer as a driver either contact
Joan Hutson as above or Volunteer
Centre Dorset on 01305-269214.
Dementia charity needs
local fundraisers.
Alzheimer’s Society , supporting people living with dementia
and their families are recruiting volunteers to form two fundraising groups. Alzheimer’s Society will be holding two open
evenings, one at Bridport WI Hall, North Street, Bridport on
Wednesday 11 May at 6.30pm and another at Woodhouse
Gardens, Blandford Forum Tuesday 17 May at 6.30pm. The
open evenings will be an opportunity to find out about the
role of volunteer fundraiser for Alzheimer’s Society. It is
estimated that there are over 12,000 people living with dementia in Dorset with that number set to reach 16,000 by
2021. Alzheimer’s Society provides a range of services for
people affected by dementia, including Singing for the Brain,
but relies heavily on voluntary donations to fund its work.
Adrian Williams, Community Fundraiser for Alzheimer’s Society, says “We are looking for enthusiastic local people to join
us. There is no substitute for local knowledge and experience.
We hope that a group of local fundraisers will be able to bring an
understanding of the Bridport community. A passion for their
area that will make their fundraising even more successful.” In
addition to supporting the Society’s established fundraising
events like it’s annual Memory Walk the group will be able to
try out their own fundraising ideas. Alzheimer’s Society will
provide full support and training. No previous experience is
necessary, just a commitment to improve the lives of people
living with dementia, their carers and families.
If you are interested in attending the open evening or
would like to find out more please contact Tori
Jones, Volunteering Officer on 07801 133745 or email
tori.jones@alzheimers.org.uk.
Budget result for
volunteer drivers
Budget 2011 included an increase in the
approved mileage rate and the extension of the
passenger allowance to volunteers. The
announcement follows sustained calls for better
support for volunteer drivers by Volunteering
England, the Community Transport Association
and other civil society organisations and will be
welcomed by thousands of volunteer drivers
across the country that provide a vital community
service. All drivers who use their vehicle for
work or volunteering will now be able to claim 45p
per mile for the first 10,000 miles, an increase
from the current rate of 40p. In addition, an allowance of 5p per passenger per mile that is already
available to business drivers will be extended to
volunteers. For more information on volunteer
expenses and entitlements visit:
www.volunteeringengland.org.uk
Signpost show the way !
The Centre is once again grateful for the support
received from Signpost Residents Association
who kindly sponsor the Garden Help Scheme in
North Dorset. Deputy Manager Craig Womble
said
‘We are pleased that housing associations
recognise the work we do on behalf of their
tenants and that volunteers can make a real
difference and improve the quality of life for
others’.
Picture shows volunteers groups receiving their
cheques at Signpost house in Blandford
Area
Centre Supported Events 2011
Activity/Event
Details
Sherborne
Volunteers Week Recruitment
Event Sherborne
9th June For more details contact
Karen Jones 07918639012
Bridport
May Spring Tide Event
Burton Bradstock
21/22 May For more details contact
Karen jones
Weymouth
Events Steward Courses
Introduction to Spectator Safety
07918639012
Weymouth 19-26 May
Free 2 day course covers all aspects of Event
Stewarding for more details visit our website
Weymouth 16-23 June places available
Dorset
Working with Ex Offenders
Workshops in partnership with
Bournemouth and Poole
Volunteer Centres
Breaking down barriers and good practices when
working with ex offenders dates &
venues TBC Jim Hart 07918 639014
West Dorset
Bridport Community Lunch
8th June For more details contact
Karen jones 07918639012
Dorset
Volunteers Week
Events across the County
celebrating National Volunteers
Week
1st—7th June
Dorchester
All areas
One World Multicultural Festival
11th July 1100 -1600
Sherborne
European Year of the Volunteer
volunteers needed
Dates times and venues to be confirmed
Dorchester
Dorset County Show
3-4 September 2011 Volunteer centre Stand
‘come and meet the team’
Camp Bestival Lulworth Unique
summer festival for all the family
28/29/30/31 July Volunteer Centre Stand
Events In North Dorset
17th August Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show
Purbeck
North Dorset
Volunteer Centre Stand
Events during the year in
Sherborne in partnership with
Sherborne Douzelage
Volunteer Centre Stands come
and meet Dianne and your North
Dorset Team!
Kings Road playing field Dorchester
Jim Hart 07918 639014
(TBC)
8th July Green Week The Corn Exchange
Blandford
10/11 September Gillingham Cheese Festival
For more details contact Dianne Cooper
07918639011
North, East, and Purbecks
Shaftesbury Museum
Hon. Secretary for Shaftesbury &
District Historical Society/Commercial
Manager/ Shop Manager/ Newsletter
Editor/ Museum Stewards/ Manager to
organise day to day running of
building
Citizens Advice Bureau Gillingham
First Dorset Credit Union
Service Point Tellers and Cashiers
needed in Gillingham, Blandford and
Shaftsbury
Parkinson's UK
Assistant Welfare Officer needed
Blandford Fashion Museum Blandford
Treasurer
Tea room helpers and Stewards required
Communication Support Volunteer
Office Receptionists required in summer
for new Community Officer
Stroke Association, North Dorset
Talking Newspapers
Wallet Administration/ Editors/
Packers and general volunteers
needed in Shaftesbury
Child Okeford Village Hall
Volunteers to join committee and take
active part in management and
operation of the hall
Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance
Fundraising Volunteers anywhere in
Dorset
RNID (Royal National Institute for the
Deaf)
DT11 Forum Community Partnership
The Friends of Blandford Community
Hospital
Charity Shop Volunteers /Befrienders/
Drivers/Fundraisers/Ward Helpers/Minibus
and Escort Volunteers/ Community
Members
Sue Ryder Care Blandford
Shop Helpers required
Weldmar Hospice Care Trust Blandford
Shop
Require Shop Helpers
Radio Sherborne
Hearing Aid Support Volunteers in
Shaftesbury and Verwood
Presenters, Engineers. Journalists,
General Helpers and Admin Staff
Committee members
Fundraising group volunteers Blandford
Forum
Shaftesbury Community Association
Tivoli Theatre Wimborne
Back stage crew and box office volunteers wanted
East Dorset Befriending Scheme
Befrienders needed Wimborne, Corfe
Mullen, Ferndown West Parley and
Verwood
Alzheimer's Society
Dorchester West and Weymouth
Dorset Probation Weymouth
Volunteer mentors for community
development Project support
Sports Club Volunteers All Areas
First Aiders, Coaches, Event Volunteers,
Committee Members
Dorchester Citizens Advice Bureau
IT Support Assistant,
Project Linus UK (Dorchester)
Volunteers to make quilts for traumatized
children and babies in Dorset.
Dorchester Arts Centre
Marketing Assistant Dorchester Arts
Centre/ Various opportunities
Weymouth and Portland National Sailing
Academy
Receptionist and volunteers to support
Sailing events throughout the year
St Marys Bellringers Bridport
Dorset Air Ambulance
Fundraising Volunteers across Dorset
Friendship Club Dorchester
Database Development Volunteer
Dorset County Museum
Museum Tea shop Volunteer in the
new cafe
Real Baby Milk C.I.C
Peer Support Volunteers for breastfeeding mums
Dorchester Neighbour car
Volunteer Drivers in Dorchester and
surrounding villages
Cavernoma Alliance UK
Administration Support and Secretary
position available
Whitfield Rural Activities Centre
Drivers needed
Bell ringers needed
Chesil Bank & The Fleet Nature
Reserve
Volunteer Fundraisers needed
Stratton Lunch Club
Alzheimer's Society
Little Gryphons Nursery Sherborne
Visitor Centre Assistants
General Helpers needed
Help required to serve lunches and
puddings last Wednesday of the month
Home Visitors, Shoppers. Drivers
2012 Volunteer Database Assistants
West Dorset Befrienders
Read Easy Bridport
Reading Assistants
Weldmar Hospicecare Trust
Ebay Volunteers (Weymouth area)
Cowden Farm Charminster
Variety of opportunities available
Volunteer Centre Dorset
Weymouth College
Spirit of the Sea Volunteers including
Procession Stewards, First Aiders,
Face Painters General helpers
Job Club Volunteers
Mentors /Advisors Bridport,Dorchester