Volunteers’ Week 2011

Did you know that this week is Volunteers’ Week in the UK?  Volunteers’ Week is an annual event which celebrates the fantastic contribution that millions of volunteers make across the country.  The Week plays a huge part in raising the profile of the millions of volunteers who regularly contribute to society, while inspiring others to get involved too.

To highlight this contribution, there is a burst of activity between 1-7 June when organisations will be holding events and activities to focus on their volunteers and the great work they do. From showcasing the different volunteering roles on offer, to volunteer recruitment events, awards ceremonies and launching new volunteering campaigns, hundreds of events are taking place throughout the UK.

If your organisation has anything planned, or if you are being celebrated as a volunteer, let us know about it!

Donate A Day

It seems like everyone is getting in on it- volunteering that is!  On Monday the 23rd May, the early morning TV show Daybreak launched the ‘Donate A Day’ campaign with the help of over 50 well known faces including the Prime Minister David Cameron himself, as well as Simon Cowell among others!

Have a little look at what it’s all about by clicking on this link – Donate a Day and imagine all the good you could be doing in Nuneaton by donating some time.

Thought Of The Day…

Local elections will be taking place today in selected boroughs all over the country.  This is not the case in Nuneaton but seeing as politics will be dominating the headlines over the next few days, a related theory comes to mind –

Just a thought to inspire anyone wanting to make a positive impact in the area where they live.  Oh and if you happen to know who the wise person was who uttered such an insightful thought, do leave a comment so that credit can be given where it’s due!

My Own Volunteering Experience

Having posted up other volunteer’s stories for some time now, I suppose I should share my own experience.  So in the hope of providing some inspiration, here it is…

I have been volunteering at Nuneaton Women’s Multicultural Resource Centre since April 2010 after being steered in their direction by the Volunteer Centre.  I initially wanted to offer some of my time to a cause where my skills might be of some use, meet new people and do something worthwhile between employment.  At NWMRC, I got all of this and more.

Over the past year I have assisted with the IT classes, Open Days, organising the main database, collected statistics as well as helped with the Newsletter and regularly updated the website.  The variety of these tasks have enabled me to utilize my communication, team working, organisation and IT skills to name just a few- all of which won’t do my CV any harm!  Additionally, I along with other volunteers was given the opportunity to attain the European Computer Driving License (ECDL) qualification for free allowing me to refine my knowledge of Microsoft Office- again enhancing future employment prospects.

I have gained a lot of personal satisfaction from volunteering at the Centre knowing that my contribution makes a difference within the community (however small) and this is further boosted by the continuous appreciation voiced by the Centre Manager Lena, who always acknowledges the value of my assistance.

Add to all this the bonus of meeting people from all over the world, of all ages and working alongside some genuinely lovely and hardworking individuals, I would say that I have gained from volunteering at NWMRC as much as I have contributed.

Your Local Neighbourhood Watch

Without meaning to raise the alarm, mention should be made here about the increase in the reporting of burglaries over the past few months in Nuneaton, particularly in the Coton area.  In order to tackle this issue and therefore make our community a safer place to live, residents are advised to be alert and report any suspicious incidents. 

Do what you can to avoid it happening to you!

While police have been actively patrolling the area, there is no substitute for preventative measures.  As well as making sure all doors and windows are locked when you go out, valuable items are kept out of public view and displaying visible burglar alarms, you could join a Neighbourhood Watch group.

If you’re not one of the 10 million people in England and Wales who is already a member, here’s all you need to know.  The concept began in the UK in 1982 after a cluster of burglaries in a Chesire village.  Acting together with the local police, residents were able to reduce the opportunity for further crime.  The success of having a two-way communication with the police has meant that the movement has spread widely and today Neighbourhood Watch is the largest voluntary organisation in the UK!

Already well established in many parts of Nuneaton, local groups often meet to discuss home security and crime prevention advice as well as to offer support to victims.  Members also agree that being part of Neighbourhood Watch has revived or improved the community spirit in their area.  After all who wouldn’t feel secure in the knowledge that their neighbours are looking out for them?

Find out if there is a Neighbourhood Watch scheme in your locality or start a new one (if you have a minimun of 5 like-minded neighbours) by contacting Heather Lowe, secretary of the Nuneaton & Bedworth Neighbourhood Watch Association on 024 7635 0131 or heatherlowe@tiscali.co.uk

Cleaning Up, Litter-ally

It’s no secret that a clean and tidy environment makes for a nicer place to live.  Here in Nuneaton with our award winning market, I’m sure you agree, we pride ourselves on keeping the town attractive and so improving the community for both residents and visitors.

It is for that reason that council officers along with McDonalds Nuneaton and an army of volunteers will be taking to the streets around the town and surrounding areas to gather and get rid of any litter that they see lying around.

In collaboration with McDonalds in Nuneaton, the council have organised these litter picks throughout 2011.   The scheduled dates are:

       27 March

       1 May

       24 July

       11 September

       9 October

       6 November

If you are interested in taking part you can meet like-minded people outside McDonalds in the town centre at 11am.  The litter picks usually finish around 12.30pm.  For more information contact the town centre manager at the council on 024 7637 6597.

Wanted: Play Rangers

Over the last week the sun has been teasing us with an appearance here and there before taking up its usual spot behind the clouds.  It’s been staying out past 5 o’clock too.  This can only mean one thing… Summer is just around the corner!

Pretty soon we’ll be inundated with the smell of barbeques, hearing the tune of the ice-cream van and for the harassed parents amongst us, having to endure restless children wanting to play outside.  This is where Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council come to the rescue with their Play Rangers.

The Play Rangers are bringing children back in to the parks of Nuneaton and Bedworth by running free play activities and in the process helping to make our parks a safer place to play.  Sessions include activities of sports, games and crafts where children can come and go as they please but under 8’s must be accompanied by an adult.

 

Play Rangers wanted! (photo courtesy of Nuneaton News)

It also happens that the Play Rangers are recruiting volunteers to join the team.  The role will appeal to anyone who has special skills or talents to share or those who would like to use their spare time to benefit young people.  Applicants must be over the age of 18 and will be subject to relevant checks by the local authority to ensure they are suitable.  In return potential Play Rangers are promised a great experience.  If you are interested call Julie King on 024 7637 6015.

Look out for Play Rangers in their visible red uniforms in parks across Nuneaton including Riversley, Pool Bank Street and Abbey Green to name but a few.  (For a full list with scheduled times, see the Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council website).

New Skills, Renewed Life

Another volunteering success story- and this one is just as inspiring as previous ones.  Keep reading to discover how volunteering has given one Nuneaton woman a new lease of life.

Nasima Sheikh’s Story

I am a single mum who had never worked before as I did not have any confidence or any skills.  Since I started volunteering at Nuneaton Women’s Multicultural Resource Centre (NWMRC) my whole life has changed for the better.  I have gained many skills such as ESOL (english for speakers of other languages), Literacy Level 1, Word Processing, Emergency First Aid and have attended a series of confidence building workshops.  As a volunteer all the training was free of charge.  My reading, writing and speaking in English has improved quite a lot.  I have to give credit to the staff at the centre who have always helped and supported me. 

From being a long term volunteer at NWMRC, I am now employed as the Centre caretaker.  Alongside my duties I still help out at the centre in whatever way I can.  Furthermore, the staff have helped me to find a second job.  Today I am also working at the Pingles Leisure Centre as a cleaner.  I really enjoy my jobs and volunteering and I wholeheartedly recommend volunteering to all who wish to better themselves.

From Volunteering to Self-Employment

Loreta Bosworth recalls how volunteering was the first step on her path to successful employment working with children, and how her volunteering experience has given her the encouragement to aim high.

I was a volunteer at Nuneaton Women’s Multicultural Resource Centre which I found very rewarding. Whilst volunteering there I was encouraged to do OCN ICT courses, as well as an NVQ in Business Administration (Level 2). The staff were very welcoming and they supported me and boosted my self confidence. Whilst still volunteering at the centre I also went on to do a childcare qualification.

Now I am working as a Teaching Assistant and with the knowledge gained from my free computer courses at the centre, I am able to use the skills to support children using computers. My self confidence has improved so much I am now starting my own business at home.

By volunteering not only have I gained qualifications but it gave me the opportunity to meet new people, make new friends, learn about other cultures as well as gain meaningful employment.

The Last Hurrah for Medi-Car?

I was flicking through the local paper when a particular article caught my attention.  Really it was a wonder I even noticed it considering there was a depressingly similar story on every other page!  In a nutshell Warwickshire County Council are looking to save up to £60 million by 2014 and as a result it appears vital community services like Medi-Car and Supported Shopping are under threat.  Although both services are run by volunteers from the Volunteer Centre, they rely on funding from the local council.  If the money stops so do the services.  Unfortunately it’s as simple as that.

Medi-Car has been going since 1987 and is run by volunteers who use their own transport to take elderly and disabled patients to important medical appointments at a (very) reduced cost.  In the past year alone, 30 volunteers have given up 5000 hours of their time to take more than 1000 people to and from appointments around Coventry and Warwickshire.  The supported shopping service uses a minibus to get frail and disabled people to the shops.  However one day very soon, both services could be making their final outing. 

There might be hope yet as a final decision has yet to be made.  Warwickshire County Council will be holding a meeting of the full council on Tuesday 15th February where a resolution will be reached.

If you will be affected by this or you are a supporter of these services, the Volunteer Centre urges you to contact the council before the meeting.  You never know, your voice could make the difference.