Volunteer Newsletter January 2024 Issue 1
VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 2024 ISSUE 1
Greetings from your Volunteer Co-Ordinator
Annabelle Murray:
Happy New Year to you all! 🙂
I am so excited about the new opportunities that 2024 holds for all of us – especially for those in our community that through ViH, are going to get the help they need to engage in ways they just were not able to in 2023: Attending a Hope Course for the first time! Having access to Hospital appointments they otherwise couldn’t attend! getting to know someone new either in person or on the phone, and going along to clubs and groups that previously they did not! As volunteers, you are not exempt from new possibilities – we have new and challenging training, workshops plus relax at a coffee and catch-up event – all scheduled for this year – giving you greater opportunity to be part of our larger volunteer family – to foster new friendships and hopefully create some fun along the way! I encourage you at the beginning of the new year to jump in with both feet!
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Elvis Helps ViH Sing the Blues Away!
by Julia Street ViH Manager
Dan Brett – a local GP and one of our volunteer trustees had a great idea to help raise funds for the charity….
No One should feel lonely this Christmas
With the support of local Elvis impersonator “Lesley Presley”, who volunteered his time to record a double-sided musical download for people who donated to us. And a local printer who printed the beautiful cards.
We were able to hand deliver over 100 Christmas cards to people in Teignmouth, Dawlish, Shaldon and Bishopsteignton to help them feel less lonely and raise £785.00 for the charity so far.
Donate here
https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/mypage/lonelythischristmas
We will run this again next year! Brilliant idea, thank you, Dan and everyone who worked so hard to launch this campaign ❤️
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TAAG Exhibition: Giving ViH space to share what we do.
Running from 6th – 18th January
This is proving to be a great opportunity to connect with other organisation and the wider community to show case what ViH is about. Members of our staff team will be at the venue to help man the space over the course of the event, and if you are free and want to come and help out pop in or please get in touch.. there might even be some coffee and cake if you come down on the 17th January, when some of our Hope Volunteers will be there keeping it real !
info@volunteeringinhealth.co.uk or give us a ring 01626 771695
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BIG Shout Out for Sitters! :🙏
We currently have 9 client couples that desperately need a sitter to support the carer to get respite and bring fresh input for the ‘cared for’.
They are located in Teignmouth, Bishopsteignton and Dawlish. If you think you could give an hour a week to bring much-needed support into these homes, then please get in touch and let me know.
If you feel you would like to help, but don’t have time to do a home visit, perhaps you would be willing to be part of a telephone befriending cohort that gives support to the carer until we can get a sitter in place.
get in touch….
annabelle.murray@volunteeringinhealth.co.uk or give us a ring 01626771695
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Core Training 24th January 2024 Bitton House Teignmouth 10.30-1.30
If you know you haven’t taken our Core Training in 2023 – then get signed up this week, for what promises to be a really informative and challenging event….
sign up here: https://forms.office.com/e/WqEzsW381n
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Cuppa & Catch ups :☕
Here are dates for our volunteers to meet up, relax and have a natter. A time for you to connect and make time for you… if you plan to come along let me know!
- February:
Chudleigh – Harvey’s Cafe 11 am Tuesday 13th February
- March:
Teignmouth – Oystercatcher Cafe 10.30 am Tuesday 12th March
- April:
Shaldon – The Clipper 10.30 am Tuesday 16th April
- May:
Dawlish – (weather depending) The Cove Cafe 11 am Tuesday 14th May
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Thank you for reading the Newsletter – more information and articles will be in the February issue.
Please be in touch if you have any enquiries or questions about your volunteering,
Best wishes for your 2024 volunteering journey,
Regards
Annabelle
Annabelle Murray
Volunteer Coordinator
Telephone 01626 771695
Email annabelle.murray@volunteeringinhealth.co.uk
or info@volunteeringinhealth.co.uk
Work days: Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday 9.15am -3pm
Volunteering in Health Coastal Information Centre
Teignmouth Hospital, Mill Lane, Teignmouth, TQ14 9BQ
Tel 01626 771695
www.volunteeringinhealth.co.uk
Charity Reg No 1182615
We are currently experiencing a very high demand for our services.
Befriending – we currently have a waiting list of 4 weeks
Wellbeing Coordination – we are not taking on any more wellbeing 1 to 1 clients until further notice
Sitting service – We currently have a waiting list of 10 weeks
Home Help / Enabling – we currently have a waiting list of 4 weeks
We regularly review to update these lead-times.
Thank you for your patience.
Volunteers Newsletter Number Two
VOLUNTEERING IN HEALTH
VOLUNTEERS NEWSLETTER (NUMBER 2)
Introduction
“Volunteers Autumn is now definitely here, plus very high tides, lots of rain, and the clocks have gone back!
At this time of year, it becomes more apparent to us at ViH of the value your volunteering brings to clients we help in our community; for those that are housebound, suffering from illness, loneliness, anxiety and struggling with the cost of living and the worry of getting to medical appointments – you are the people that are making the difference! So be encouraged, ‘together’ you guys are doing something wonderful!
Whilst volunteering in many ways is ‘on your own’ – one 2 one with the client – We want you to feel connected to your community of volunteers and help foster support and friendship with one another. My hope is that this Newsletter, can start to be the glue that keeps you all ‘up to speed’ with what is going on throughout the organisation, present you with new volunteering opportunities, a portal for the online links for you to sign up to group events (face to face and online), workshops, training and, perhaps not so fun but very importantly, gives you the links to documentation that needs to be completed as part of your volunteer commitment.
This is about keeping you connected with us and each other, so please take the time to read all the way to the end, look at each section and please respond to the links that are relevant to you.
Many thanks for all you are doing and if you don’t have any and the rain persists, perhaps it’s time to invest in welly boots?!”
Annabelle Murray (ViH Volunteer Coordinator)
CHRISTMAS PARTY!! whoop whoop! 1st December 8pm to Late at Alice Cross Centre
Yes, it’snearly that time of year again! Get out your sparkly outfits on and have a bop! We can’t wait ????
RSVP: please follow this link:https://forms.office.com/e/LFrsJfWNcN
MEET A TRUSTEE
Lauren Wade
“I really enjoy my role as the treasurer trustee for Volunteering in Health, not only is it rewarding to give back to the local community via my skillset, but I have also met lots of amazing people who work very hard for our great charity.” “
NEW VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
SITTERS AND DRIVERS NEEDED!We need more volunteer ‘sitters’ for our sitting service ‘Time for You’ – if you think you can help for 1-2 hours per week or by weekly, to sit with a client to help their carer have some well-deserved rest then please get in touch. We are inundated with call to help take people to their medical appointments, if you think you can help by being a driver please contact:
PARK RUN FUNDRAISER UPDATE
The Park Run was a great success on so many levels: Amazing to have young people wanting to don our ViH T-shirts and run the length of the course (at breakneck speed) to fundraising in recognition of the difficulties our elderly population face; to hear our Manager, Julia Street, addressing the throng of runners and onlookers over the mic, with such passion for our community and what ViH is doing – proud moment for all the staff! And personal success – I actually got around the course too not running at breakneck speed though!
Many thanks to all the volunteers that came down to support Nina in her run – either by watching, cheering or running and walking!
Nina has raised £319 towards her £500 target. If you would like to help her hit her target please follow the link, It would be a wonderful way to send a message out to our younger cohort of volunteers to get involved in fundraising in the future – and we already have some waiting in the wings to do just that!
Many thanks to all involved.
Here is a link to a small film of the event – will it encourage you to get your trainers on for next time?!!:
Here is the link to support Nina’s efforts for ViH :
AGM: MISSED IT?… NO, YOU DIDN’T!
The AGM took place on 28th September and was attended by people from broad spectrum of the health and care organisations and importantly our volunteers! I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all the volunteers that took part and for those of you that came to hear the report. For those of you that missed it – don’t fret you can be virtually by following the links below!
You can have a read of the Annual Report 2022-23 by following the link here: https://www.volunteeringinhealth.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/annual-report-2022-23-Final.pdf
You can watch a short film by following the link here: https://www.volunteeringinhealth.co.uk/the-volunteering-in-health-agm-on-the-28th-of-september-2023/
ESSENTIAL CORE TRAINING BOUNDARIES, CONFIDENTIALITY, GDPR 24TH JANUARY 10.30AM – 1.30PM (BITTON HOUSE TEIGNMOUTH)
Thank you to those of you that responded to this post in the last newsletter and followed the link to sign up ????…. if you haven’t read on!
Over the last year ViH have been rolling out a training program for our volunteers, which has proven to be beneficial to staff and volunteers alike. (Watch this space because we are going to have some engaging and challenging training opportunities coming your way for 2024.)
In the meantime, we are really focused to ensure that ALL our volunteers have completed our essential core training – so far 80% have – so this post is for the rest of you! By the end of January we want everyone to have completed our essential core training – the clue is in the name ….‘essential’… so we are giving you plenty of time to get this date in your diaries so that we can have 100% of our volunteers all on the same page and delivering a top quality ‘safe’ service to the community.
This is ONLY for volunteers that have NOT already done the core training this year.
If that’s you, please follow the link to reserve your space and ask questions:
BINGO NIGHT 7th DECEMBER 7PM – EYES DOWN 7.30PM TEIGNMOUTH RUGBY CLUB
Bingo Night in September raised £570 all ofViH! So, a very big thank you to everyone that attended the event ????
The next Bingo Night will be on the 7th December in support of Dawlish Hospital – so if you fancy a night out for a bit of a giggle in the run up to Christmas – this is for you!
If you would like to reserve spaces for you and your friends: jeannette.osmond@nhs.net
A NIGHT OF COMEDY AT THE ICE FACTORY
We are constantly amazed by the calibre of our volunteers – on this occasion it is one of our exceptional admin volunteers (who hides in the back office most Wednesdays) Larraine! She is writing and directing a comedy at the Ice Factory for this Spring. So of course, the ViH Team want to go, and want to give you the opportunity to come too! The play is called ‘Nothing like Brief Encounters‘ , Thursday 30th May 2024. Curtain Up 7.30pm, Bar open from 7pm. Discounted ticket for ViH for the first night only £10. The Auditorium holds 50 seats, so reservations are on a first come first serve basis.
If you want to reserve a space, follow this link: https://forms.office.com/e/qkucAPj3A6
TELEPHONE BOX: ‘VIH CONNECT’ LOCATED AT ASHLEIGH WAY TEIGNMOUTH
If anyone is looking for bargain Christmas presents or a book and jigsaw puzzle to do over these wet cold autumn days… go no further than our very own telephone box located on Ashleigh Way in Teignmouth. Full of lots of different treasures it’s a tiny emporium of wonderment! So far it has raised around £90 and living up to its name ‘ViH Connect’. If you would like to donate any jigsaws (with all the pieces, please!) or books (with all pages present!) please come down to the Hub and drop them off.
VIH SUPPORTING ROWCROFT’S PROJECT: GET INVOLVED!
We are supporting Rowcroft in this project to find clients and people with experience of using their services to help them in this project.
Rowcroft – Tech for Better Care (T4BC)
Project aim:
To develop wearable technology or/and an App that supports people at the end of their life and their loved ones to access palliative care and support at home, helping to develop and maintain relationships by providing human intervention, when they need it. This may be in their own private home, temporary dwelling, assisted living or residential care.
Questionnaire
Rowcroft hospice wants to provide care to an additional 500 people each year by 2030 to meet the growing need for those living at home with a life-limiting illness.
They are hoping that we can embrace innovative technology to help us do this. We believe that technology may be able to assist us with providing quality proactive care when and where people need it. With less human resource in the future as the workforce nationally is stretched and the rurality of our locality sometimes affecting timely access, we want any technology we develop to be personal, connecting the person to a human voice and providing assurance that a knowledgeable health or social care professional can visit when needed.
Please find attached a link to the questionnaire on Microsoft forms and the QR Code.
Ideally, we would like to receive all responses by 15th November.
“Thank you for all your support and time volunteering with us. The next newsletter will be winging its way to you as you fight with your Christmas trees and fairy lights and will share further information for the year ahead! Until then enjoy the Autumn Charm” ????
Warm Regards
Annabelle
Annabelle Murray
Volunteer Coordinator
Telephone 01626 771695
Email annabelle.murray@volunteeringinhealth.co.uk
or info@volunteeringinhealth.co.uk
Work days: Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday 9.30am -3pm
ViH Volunteers Experiences
The Volunteering in Health AGM on the 28th of September 2023
Volunteering in Health’s AGM was held at Bitton House Teignmouth on 28th Sept
Over 60 people attended the recent AGM, Alwyn chair of trustees opened with this motivating speech
“I would like to recognise the importance of Volunteering in Health and all of the other Charity and voluntary organisations that are represented here today. The significance of our collective efforts and the transformative impact we have on individuals and our community in general should not be underestimated.
One of the questions I ask in our exit interviews is Do you have any suggestions for improvements in VIH? One suggestion was that we should change our name to Volunteering For Health, as she recognised the positive impact on the well-being of staff and volunteers as they support our clients to improve their well-being. I think that just goes to show That if you want to feel good you have to do good.
Of course, when vacancies are created we are fortunate to be able to recruit new blood, and we have three new team members Sue Yates, Annabel Murray and Cara Kinsey. I would like to thank them for hitting the ground running and for the positive impact they have already made.
By collaborating with health care providers, our staff and volunteers alleviates the burden on the healthcare systems and contribute to the efficient delivery of care and support. Our collective actions creates a collaborative ecosystem where professionals and volunteers work hand in hand, amplifying the impact of our efforts. In fact, this year our friends at CVS commissioned a report which showed that for every hour of well-being services provided by the NHS the Charity / Voluntary sector could provide one and a half hours for the same cost.
Of course some people may be concerned about what exactly can volunteers contribute. That is why this year, with the organisation of our management team and our newly appointed Volunteer Co-ordinator, we have delivered professional training to our volunteers ensuring they have all of the required skills to support them and our clients.
Of course the elephant in the room is “ Just what is the NHS going to look like for us locally in the near future? “ our Guest speaker Councillor Martin Wrigley, may be giving us an update on where we are on some of the local provisions.
Finally I would like to thank my fellow Trustees, all of whom are also volunteers, for their support and efforts in guiding VIH. We are hoping to recruit two new Trustees very shortly. One of the reasons for recruitment is that Ken Goodsell is leaving us after nine years of service. Ken has been a stalwart, with a wealth of knowledge and he has seen VIH blossom during his time with us especially during his period of Chairmanship. I personally would like to thank him for his guidance when I took over the chair. Thank you Ken. “
“Through our collective efforts we can bridge the well-being gaps, empower individuals, and build a healthier, more inclusive community.
I encourage each of you to keep inspiring others, and join us on our journey of compassion and embrace the power of Volunteering. “
High lights of the AGM included the KEEPING HOPE group presentation. Piloted this year and a major success story, KEEPING HOPE, our staff led, peer to peer ongoing support group for HOPE attendees to progress on to. The pilot group have bonded incredibly well. Young, and old, people from different backgrounds have become friends, confidants and mutual supporters. These people, each facing many personal challenges, co-operatively created “KEEPING HOPE set back boxes”. These contain specific items to support a person when they are feeling unwell or low, and can be customised to the individual’s needs.
The group has been so successful that they have created their own branding
Please follow the link to watch our inspirational KEEPING HOPE, participant, Enya explain more:
Thanks go to Mayor and Cllr Joan Atkins for opening our AGM and for the talk that Cllr Martin Wrigley gave around the challenges faced by District and County Council in delivering services and the importance of the voluntary sector in helping provide those.
We look forward to showcasing our services and impact next year
Julia Street
General Manager