Do you need help with small tasks around the home or maybe just someone to pop in for a chat? Do you know someone who does?
Our Good Neighbour scheme was founded in April 2009. We provide volunteers to help with those simple tasks that our elderly or vulnerable clients find too difficult. For example, we can help with paperwork, befriend and “natter”, put up shelves, change light bulbs or collect prescriptions for someone who is otherwise isolated.
One of our co-ordinators will visit you at your home to make an initial assessment and then will allocate the most appropriate volunteer for you. Please call the office on 01235 765348 for more details, or feel free to email using gns@wantageadvice.org.uk. New client assessments which did start again in August 2020 after the spring Covid19 lockdown, have unfortunately been suspended again however our Community Liaison Manager, Kirsty, is keeping in contact with those new clients and the referral parties during the hiatus. Please don’t let Covid19 stop you from contacting about the Good Neighbour Scheme. There are still ways we and the volunteers can help. Loneliness and isolation is more of a worry that ever with the challenges being faced just now.
New referrals can be made by an individual, family member, friend, medical professional or a third party agency. If you are unsure, make the referral for our co-ordinators to consider. We will ask that, where appropriate, the individual is aware that a referral is being made.
Initially led by Helen Bailey, Helen stepped down from her position at the helm of this scheme in 2017 but thanks to her guidance and insight during the first eight years we are proud to say that the WIAC’s scheme now has over 35 volunteer Good Neighbours and in the 2019/20 year in the region of 3,000 befriending consultations were completed with over 120 different clients receiving support from our service.
The Good Neighbour scheme is provided free of charge, however voluntary donations are always very welcome.
