£15,000 Grant for Local Volunteer Centre

 

12/7/06

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Chelmer Housing Partnership Charitable Trust is awarding a grant of £15,000 to the Volunteer Centre Chelmsford, which will be used to fund the post of a part time Volunteering Promotions Co-ordinator in 2006/7.

Press are invited to attend the cheque presentation on Friday 14th July at 10.30am at the Volunteer Centre, 2nd Floor, 59 New Street, Chelmsford.

Trevor Miller, Board member of CHP Charitable Trust, will present a cheque to Alison Semmence, Director of the Volunteer Centre, who says:  “We’re delighted to receive this support from CHP’s Charitable Trust.  It gives us the resources we need to help people get into volunteering and help the hundreds of charities we have locally”.

Angela Bensley is the new promotions coordinator. “I’m really happy to be joining VCC”, she says, “and am keen to get working on this project and help raise the profile of volunteering and its benefits throughout Chelmsford.” Angela will work on arranging displays and will hold interviews to give people an opportunity to discuss what they have to offer and what they’d like to learn.

“Co-ordination of the pool of volunteers who give up their time to help Chelmsford’s community projects is so important”, said David Cotterill, CHP New Business Director.  “CHP Charitable Trust recognises the importance of this new post which will not only help channel these vital resources to obtain the best outcomes, but also look to bring in new recruits.” 

VCC offers a choice of around 400 regularly updated voluntary opportunities within 200 local organisations. You can opt for a regular commitment as well as one off projects on a monthly basis.  58 year old Geoff had been a high flyer in the city and retired early but after a while found retirement too relaxing. He missed the buzz of the working environment and the social life that went with the job.

The Volunteer Centre referred him to the Essex Air Ambulance where Geoff’s been able to use his vast working experience on a number of projects. “Volunteering has given back what was missing from my life after retirement. I’ve met interesting new people, made good friends and had chance to exercise my mind again,” says Geoff.

 

42 year old mum Linda wasn’t sure she had anything to offer as a volunteer having been out of paid work for several years so she could bring up her children. But the Volunteer Centre database had plenty to offer her - office work, helping at toddler groups, visiting older people, befriending people with disabilities, sports coaching. Linda proved a great listener and chose to go on an intensive training course for ‘Victims Support’ and now provides a listening ear and practical support to victims of crime. 

 

So if you’re over 16 and interested in volunteering or would like to speak to someone about the different volunteering opportunities in Chelmsford please contact VCC on 01245 283606. Alternatively, you can register on the national volunteering database www.do-it.org or via our website www.chelmsfordvolunteers.co.uk

 

ENDS

Editor's Notes:

• The Volunteer Centre started work in 1997 and exists to promote, develop and co-ordinate volunteering in Chelmsford by:

  • Helping voluntary organisations with volunteer recruitment

  • Promoting the benefits of volunteering

  • Providing information on a wide range of voluntary opportunities

  • Offering support to volunteers

  • Co-ordinating one off practical volunteering projects

  • The centre runs several projects including millennium volunteers, working with volunteers with mental health problems and black and ethnic minority communities.

   CHP Charitable Trust – established in March 2003 by a gift aid from Chelmer Housing Partnership,

  • Facilitates community development in Essex neighbourhoods
  • Works in partnership to add value to community based projects to help improve people’s quality of life
  • Aims to benefit both existing and potential tenants and service users of CHP by providing sustainable development.

  The Trust’s objectives are:

  • Providing youth facilities
  • Enhancing skills
  • Promoting healthy living
  • Tackling financial exclusion

  For further information on recent CHP grant awards visit www.chelmerhp.org.uk

   

  Press contact for further information:
  Victoria Norton, CHP Press Office: 01245 613111 or 07709 334403
  Victoria.norton@chelmerhp.org.uk