July 2018

West Volunteer Centre

Summer volunteering or a longer term commitment?

If you have time to spare over the summer why not spend some of it volunteering? At Imago we need volunteers to help us run our Family Fun Days in the district. If this isn’t for you there are other seasonal opportunities. One example is Folly Wildlife Rescue in Tunbridge Wells. They need volunteers for animal care, collecting casualties, reception, fundraising and maintenance. If you are looking for longer term opportunities then have a look inside and hopefully you will find something to suit.

For a chance to meet local voluntary organisations in need of volunteers you could attend the Stronger Kent Community Fair in Tunbridge Wells on 21st July (booking details inside). We’ll be there.

If you would like to talk to someone about volunteering then contact our volunteering team on 01892 530330 or email [email protected].

.

Tunbridge Wells Churches Street Teams started in 1994. Soup and sandwiches were served to hungry people 3 nights a week. Now in 2018 we operate 7 nights a week. As well as sharing food, we are there to show a friendly face and where appropriate give sleeping bags, blankets and clothes to homeless and needy people.

On an average night we see about 20 guests, but the numbers are increasing.

We need a few volunteers for our Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday Teams. If you can spare 1.5 hours a night for about 40 weeks a year and are 18+ please contact us via [email protected] or visit www.twstreetteams.org

Family Fun Days in Sevenoaks Imago are again delivering 20 Family Fun Days across the this summer from 30th July - 24th August. The fun days are a great way for communities to get together with hundreds of families attending some venues. We are looking for volunteers to support the Imago staff team. There’s plenty for everyone to do and activities include badge making, arts & crafts, games and sports. You don’t need any special skills, just energy and enthusiasm!

Contact [email protected] or 01892 530330 for more information or to register to volunteer.

Monday 30 July Tuesday 31 July Wednesday 1 Aug Thursday 2 Aug Friday 3 Aug

Swanley Seal Leigh

10am-2pm 10am-2pm 10am-2pm 10am-2pm 2pm to 5pm Monday 6 Aug Tuesday 7 August Wednesday 8 August Thursday 9 August Friday 10 August

Knockholt

10am-2pm 10am-2pm 10am-2pm 10am-2pm 2pm to 5pm Monday 13 August Tuesday 14 August Wednesday 15 August Thursday 16 August Friday 17 August

Westerham Hartley Sevenoaks Halstead Chevening

10am-2pm 10am-2pm 10am-2pm 10am-2pm 10.30-1.30 Monday 20 August Tuesday 21 August Wednesday 22 August Thursday 23 August Friday 24 August

Eynsford Shoreham Hever

10am-2pm 10am-2pm 10am-2pm 10am-2pm 2pm to 5pm

Help us to make a difference

Compaid is a charity based in Paddock Wood supporting disabled people in a variety of ways, and we are looking for volunteers to assist our work.

Join our Volunteer Computer Trainers who support our clients to discover the magic of computers in a relaxed and informal way, and help individuals to gain in confidence and ability.

Become an Arts & Crafts Volunteer and share your passion for art & craft and inspire a group of people to discover the fun and sense of achievement that making or painting something brings.

Become a Music Volunteer for our exciting new project offering clients an opportunity to explore and enjoy music, including playing instruments and singing, and to learn new IT skills using recording and editing software.

Join our team of Volunteer Minibus Drivers providing a vital lifeline to many disabled people, helping them to remain as independent as possible.

Join our dynamic Board as a Trustee. The Board meetings are held four times a year in Paddock Wood and each Trustee is also expected to serve on a quarterly sub- committee.

If you have a few spare hours a week we want to hear from you.

Please visit us at stand 140 at the Kent County Show, 6th 7th & 8th July and at the Paddock Wood Carnival on 14th July or contact:

Judith Williams, H R Administrator t: 01892 834539 e: [email protected] www.compaid.org.uk

Christmas Volunteers Needed:

Shop Assistant in Tunbridge Wells We’re seeking confident and enthusiastic individuals with good customer service skills for our volunteer role in Cards for Good Causes (CFGC) Christmas Cards’ Shop.

When? 4 x 3 hrs shifts between October—December 2018 (6-8 weeks) Where? The United Reformed Church, 1 Mount Ephraim, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 8AE What will I be doing?

 Operating electronic till (in-store training provided)

 Taking payment for cards and other goods (includes cash, cheque and debit cards)

 Re-stocking the cards

 General helping customers and keeping the store tidy

 Sending any unsold stock back by the end of January. To find out more email [email protected] or call 0118 304 2777 Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. www.cardsforcharity.co.uk

Charity Reg Nos. 295672/SC037479

Are you looking for Volunteering Work?

We are currently looking for: Gardener at our cottage day centre (approx. 2-4 hours a week). Retail Assistants in our shop in Activity co-ordinator for our day centre in

If you are interested in any of the above positions then please contact: Bev Saville 01322 668106

Rural Age Concern Darent Valley (RACDV) is an independent registered charity providing a day centre and hot meals, lunch clubs, activities, transport and shopping trips for elderly residents in the rural communities between Sevenoaks, and Gravesend. 36 Shopping Centre, Swanley, BR8 7TL Charity no 265562

‘I just would like a friend’

To most of us to have no friends seems impossible. However, this is what someone said to me only a couple of days ago. For visually impaired people daily life is a struggle not being able to see clearly to carry out simple tasks for a normal life. However, for many isolation is their biggest problem.

Kent Association for the Blind provides a befriending service where we match a visually impaired person with a volunteer who visits them at their home on a regular basis, we recommend every 2 to 3 weeks, and a visit usually lasts an hour or so.

If you have a couple of hours’ a month you can spare then please get in touch.

If you would like to help, but are unable to commit to a regular visit, then we are looking for volunteers to become telephone befrienders where you would phone someone for a chat on a regular basis.

For more information then please contact Jo Wilkinson at KAB on 01622 691357 or email [email protected].

Club Leader Position

We have a lovely, but small, club in Sevenoaks which has been going for more than 70 years and we are looking for a new club leader for the group as ours moved away a couple of years ago.

It is a small club, which is well supported with volunteers. We are looking for someone who is interested in helping with the group and in particular arranging a plan of activities/entertainment throughout the year (there is a budget for entertainment). They meet for two hours, one afternoon a month. For an informal chat, please contact Jo Wilkinson at KAB on 01622 691357 and I can provide further details.

Tonbridge Dementia Friendly Community (Tonbridge DFC) is a community group made up of local residents, business representatives and volunteers who focus on work in the Tonbridge area to improve the lives locally for residents living with dementia.

Tonbridge DFC is in need of a secretary or at the very least a minute taker.

We meet about 8 times a year in Tonbridge or . We are a very friendly group committed to raising awareness of dementia. We run about 5 or 6 events each year and dementia friends awareness sessions. If you would like to volunteer please contact Chris Parker, Chair Tonbridge DFC c/o 173 High St. Tonbridge TN9 1BX or email: [email protected].

Wheels of Time

Volunteer Administrator The Core Group (management committee) of the Wheels of Time Scheme is seeking a volunteer to assist with the administration of the Scheme.

Wheels of Time Wheels of Time is a badge collecting scheme encouraging the exploration of 33 Kent heritage sites for 5-11 year olds. The 33 members range from very small to medium sized museums and heritage sites, the majority are charities, many volunteer run, together with some local authority run sites. Consideration is being given to expansion of the Scheme to include further sites for 2019.

It is estimated that the role will involve between 180 and 220 hours per year. Scheme meetings are held at member sites across Kent, some of which are in rural locations. Between 5 and 7 meetings are held each year together with one additional promotional event. The successful candidate will need to arrange their own transport to these meetings. Reasonable travel expenses will be paid.

How to apply For more information about the role and to express an interest, contact Bob Shrubb at: [email protected]

.

Tunbridge Wells Volunteering Opportunities at Imago Dial 2 Drive is our Community Transport Service booking volunteer car drivers to take local people who are unable to access public transport to their medical and social appointments and shopping. This could be due to older age, illness or disability. There is a vacancy to join the booking team on a Thursday and Friday morning. The role involves telephone answering and using a specialist database to book the drives, so phone skills and computer literacy are a must for this role.

Dial 2 Drive also has an influx of bookings for Tunbridge Wells drives, so are looking for additional car drivers to join the team. This is a flexible role to fit around you and your plans. There are drivers who work from home so can offer one drive a week, some work in schools so can help during the holidays, others work around the school run or are retired so looking to make a good use of their free time.

Young Carer/Short Breaks Hub have opportunities for admin work. IT skills and attention to detail are required to use a bespoke database to update records and forms.

Both the Hub and Dial 2 Drive booking role are based in our Head Office in Tunbridge Wells. To find out more please contact [email protected].

To find out more about volunteering in your local community, please get in touch Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells

@Volunteering_WK [email protected] 01892 530330 VolunteeringWK www.imago.community