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NOTICEBOARD EXTRA Here you will find information about schemes, activities, charities, volunteer work and more, available in the wider community. |
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Age Concern Local Older People's Panels |
Free environmental email bulletin HOST UK welcoming international students ORCC advice in community planning |
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Registered Charity No. 285746 Are you looking for something different and rewarding to do? Would you like the opportunity to help others, be involved in the community, make new friends? Have you considered voluntary work? The Ryder-Cheshire Volunteers offers people with physical disabilities the opportunity to pursue a hobby or leisure interest in partnership with a volunteer. No special qualifications are required, just a willingness to give as little or as much time as you can spare. Our members pursue activities such as outings, computers, art, swimming, history, languages, dominoes, natural history and more. The list is endless. Like to learn more? Please call me, Judy Redhead, co-ordinator, Ryder-Cheshire Foundation on 01280 701076 for more details of the project in your area. Your help can make all the difference to someone else's life. | TOP | |
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Discovering the talents of older people The Dark Horse Venture is an award scheme for people aged 55 and over. Any retired or older person can join the scheme no matter how fit or frail they are, irrespective of their background or present circumstances. The Dark Horse Venture is all about self-discovery. It presents opportunities for people to get involved in new activities, hobbies and studies, encouraging them to achieve their personal best. All activities are non-competitive. It further provides an opportunity for people to use their hidden talents and abilities for creative purposes and to direct their life or work skills and experiences to help others, including children and young people. There are four categories in which people can enter the scheme, so that everyone can select an activity that best suits them. Activities can range from relaxing pastimes to more strenuous programmes of studies, volunteer projects, sports and explorations. All you have to do is to select an activity you have not tried before, and become involved in it for at least twelve months. During this time you will be able to benefit from the guidance and advice of a person of your choice - someone familiar with the activity you have chosen. The Dark Horse Venture has encouraged thousands of retired and older people throughout the UK and far beyond to regain a focus in their lives. This is often very important for those people who struggle with loneliness and boredom. Others who enjoy a busy and active retirement also find the scheme helpful in providing them with encouragement and recognition for their efforts and achievements by the awarding of Dark Horse Venture certificates. To find out more, contact The Dark Horse Venture, Kelton, Woodlands Road, Liverpool L17 0AN. Tel: 0151 729 0092. | TOP | |
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ORCC advice in community planning Do you want to involve the wider community in a project? Do you want to find out what local people think about a particular issue or service in their village? If so, perhaps ORCC can help. We can help you plan and carry out a village event to find out people's views and create a vision for the future for anything from your village hall and your church to your village. And it is all for free! If you are interested please get in touch with Jane Gilbert, community development worker, on 01865 883 488. | TOP | |
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We were never in any doubt, but now it is official - Crimestoppers works! Research conducted by the Vauxhall Centre for the Study of Crime at the University of Luton reveals that information provided anonymously by the public to Crimestoppers solves crime at a rate likely to be the envy of police officers in general. In 63 per cent of cases, Crimestoppers information was crucial to detection, and in a further 27 per cent it was useful. More than one-fifth of offenders revealed by Crimestoppers' callers were not previously known to the police, and a further 40 per cent were known but not suspected of the offence reported. On a scale of one to seven, 74 per cent of case officers rated the information received through Crimestoppers in the highest two categories. So now we have proof that the Crimestoppers formula is of great value in the fight against crime. Much harder to prove, but surely an important element not to be ignored, is the deterrent effect that widespread promotion of Crimestoppers has upon anyone contemplating criminal activity. If a potential criminal thinks that any member of the public can easily and safely inform on him or her, it must at least prompt second thoughts. Did you know that Crimestoppers is:
How you can help Crimestoppers:
Crimestoppers registered charity number 297500 Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 | TOP | |
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Age Concern Local Older People's Panels A chance for older people to advise and influence. Feel nobody listens? Now people over 50 have a chance to be heard through five Local People's Panels around the county. The scheme aims to feed their opinions into policies as organisations seek their views on services. It's a chance to turn ideas into suggestions by getting a word in edgeways before big decisions are taken. The independent Local Panels have been set up by Age Concern Oxfordshire City & County with support from the Oxfordshire Better Government for Older People (BGOP) project. They advise local authorities, health services and voluntary services. More people are needed for the Vale, South, City, Cherwell and West Local Panels, and those that do volunteer their time will be offered appropriate training where needed to help them feel at ease in the process. All out-of-pocket expenses will be paid. To find out more about joining a Local Panel in your area please contact Gill Martin at Age Concern, The Lodge, Rivermead Centre, Abingdon Road, Oxford OX1 4XD, phone 01865 240 619, or Barbara Jordan of Oxfordshire County Council's Social Services at P.O. Box 118, Thame DO, Oxfordshire OX9 3FT, phone 01844 217 904. | TOP | |
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Carers urgently needed to provide short breaks (from a few hours a week to a few days a month) within your own home for a range of children with disabilities through our Breaktime Scheme. Generous allowances, training and support given. For further information contact 01865 375 515. | TOP | |
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Free environmental email bulletin An environmental email bulletin provided by the Oxfordshire Nature Conservation Forum with pump-priming funds from Rural Action. The ONCF Environmental Bulletin announces events, lectures, pleas for help and situations vacant in Oxfordshire. The bulletin comes out every Tuesday. If you are interested in receiving the ONCF Environmental Bulletin free of charge you can simply subscribe yourself by visiting ONCF's website or email Sian Liwicki to ask to be put on to the mailing list. | TOP | |
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Explore the world through your library 22 of the small libraries in the county as well as many of the larger libraries now have public access internet terminals, and shortly every branch library in Oxfordshire will have one. You may want to send an email to a relative in Australia or find information, or simply surf the web. Access to core information sites such as the BBC, rail timetables, Citizens Advice Bureaux and the county council will be free, although there is a charge for email and general web surfing. For further information contact Charles Petit, assistant county librarian, on 01865 810 221. | TOP | |
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Oxfordshire Befriending Network Volunteers supporting people with a life-threatening illness at home. Do you want to be a volunteer? We train, match and support volunteer Befrienders who visit people with a life-threatening illness in Oxfordshire. Befriending can be demanding but also intensely rewarding. For more information or to get an application form, please phone Catherine Gundry and Sue Taylor on 01865 316 200. | TOP | |
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British Red Cross Open Gardens The British Red Cross, Oxfordshire Branch, is appealing to enthusiastic gardeners to help us by opening their garden in aid of the British Red Cross. These openings generate immense pleasure as well as much-needed funds for our work in caring for people in crisis. Red Cross volunteers gave over 100,000 hours of their time to help the most vulnerable people in Oxfordshire last year. We need help to raise money to cover the costs of these services. Please will anyone who can help us contact Toby Benn, community fundraising co-ordinator, at Branch Headquarters, Red Cross House, Colwell Drive, Abingdon OX14 1AU, or phone on 01235 538 811. And if there is a suitable garden locally and the owner may not read this appeal, please pass on this information. Find out more about our work and ways you can help at our website. | TOP | |
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HOST UK - to meet people from overseas, stay at home There are many thousands of international students at universities and colleges in the UK, who come here hoping to get to know British people, and to explore the local culture and customs. Unfortunately, the majority find it almost impossible to make contact with the real life of the country, away from the campus and the cosmopolitan cities. Addressing this situation is a voluntary scheme known as HOST, which has been operating for 13 years with the backing of the British Council and the Foreign Office. HOST arranges for students to have a short visit, usually at a weekend, or at Christmas, to a welcoming private home. Conversation, meals, outings and meetings with other members of the family or local community, are the main features of most visits. The openness and friendliness of their hosts are impressions which remain in the memory. A visit can radically alter students' preconceptions of Britain, and help them feel more at home while they are here. For the hosts, the rewards are the pleasure of meeting lively and intelligent young people and well-informed mature students, from parts of the world which they may already know, or may never have the chance of knowing in any other way. Hosting students, as well as being great fun, has widened our horizons, wrote one host, and we hope, enabled us to make a small contribution to international understanding. Most hosts offer just one or two invitations a year, and new hosts are always needed. If you would like to know more, please call the voluntary regional organiser, Margaret Stevens, on 01793 765 213 or contact her by email. You can also visit HOST's website for more information. | TOP | |
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Age Concern voluntary work that makes a difference Our Information and Advice Service is looking for volunteers to help staff the Telephone Helpline at our office in Oxford, and to visit people in their own homes to help with form-filling and benefits checks. No particular qualifications required. People of all ages welcome. We offer training, plenty of support and expenses. For more details telephone Sandra or Jenny on 01865 247 852. | TOP | |
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Do you need better transport, a bank, childcare or your lawn mown? Could Community Enterprise be the solution? Find out how to set up and run your own credit union, play schemes, community minibus, village hall, local trading schemes, newsletters or community cafe. For more information, contact Oxfordshire Rural Community Council on 01865 883 488 or email us. This is a joint venture by Buckinghamshire Community Action, the Community Council for Berkshire and Oxfordshire Rural Community Council. | TOP | |
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Cherwell District Council has its own website, containing lots of information and assistance. Visiting the Cherwell district website will save you time and phone calls. For example, find out about free dog registration, what responsibilities you have towards your drains, council leisure facilities and events, and more. | TOP | |
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Community Lunches enable people to meet informally, to find out what projects are happening in the community and to meet other workers/volunteer organisers and like-minded people, established and new, who are contributing to those projects. Community Lunches are happening all over the county and provide a valuable opportunity for networking across all organisations and community groups. It is envisaged that meetings will be held in each location every four months. Please bring your own lunch, but drinks can be purchased if required. There will also be an information table at the lunch for you to bring along leaflets/information for others to take away with them. Check out the Calendar for the dates of Community Lunches already arranged. Further information from Brian Conroy, phone 01993 704 007, or you can email. Alternatively contact Wendy Hillary, phone 01844 354 459, or you can email. | TOP | |
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Many will no doubt recall that Sobell House Hospice Charity launched a large public appeal in the spring of 2000 to raise £1 million towards the cost of a new hospice. The existing hospice was opened in 1976, based at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford, and has served the people of Oxfordshire well over the past 25 years. However, it has become outdated both by time and advances in technology and services. Our appeal campaign, Raising the Roof for Sobell, aims to raise enough funds to provide our community with a modern hospice to better serve the needs of those who are suffering from life-limiting illnesses. The response to our appeal has been magnificent throughout the community of Oxfordshire and we would like to take this opportunity of thanking all who have responded so generously. Your activities and support have helped to boost our appeal fund to such a level that we are pressing forward with firm plans to commence work on the new buildings. We are so near to achieving our target and yet we still need your help to ensure success. The total cost of the project will be £3.5 million. Sobell House Hospice Charity has raised approximately £3.2 million so far. Remaining funds to raise are £300,000. There are still so many ways in which you can help. Possibly organise a sale or a competition, events with entry fees, sponsorship, etc. Or perhaps purchasing items of raw materials for the new building. Please help us to achieve our target. Thank you. Further information from the Sobell House Hospice Charity, phone 01865 883 338, or email, or visit our website. | TOP | |
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There are many people living in Oxford and the district of Cherwell who have difficulty in expressing themselves effectively - many of them would appreciate having a citizen advocate of their own, independent of their family, friends or carers, who would call on them regularly and become prepared to be a voice for them. Citizen advocacy is about personal choices and civil rights. It is not a befriending scheme. Citizen advocates are mature citizens who make a one-to-one relationship with another person who has difficulty in expressing themselves effectively. Advocates are not paid by anybody at any time, and they are only accountable to the person they represent. Citizen advocates are trained, supported and supervised by the Oxford and Cherwell Advocacy Scheme, a voluntary organisation, that is itself managed by a registered charity - the Oxfordshire Advocacy Development Group. If you could help, then please ring telephone number 01865 742 745, or write to the Co-ordinator of the Oxford and Cherwell Advocacy Scheme, Barton Neighbourhood Centre, Underhill Circus, Headington, Oxford OX3 9LS for more information. Someone living reasonably close to your home with limited speech is looking forward to meeting you. | TOP | |
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The Princess Royal Trust Carers Centre (North and West Oxfordshire) provides support for carers of all ages and situations by means of a CarersLine, newsletter, events and practical support. Contact the CarersLine on 0345 125 546 or visit our website, or email. Or you can write to us at Carers Centre (North & West Oxfordshire), 27 Horse Fair, Banbury, Oxon OX16 0AE. | TOP | |
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Victim Support offers a service to witnesses at the Magistrates Courts in Oxfordshire. If you have ever been called to give evidence at a trial you will know just how daunting that experience can be. Imagine not having a friend or member of your family to come with you, knowing that you will have to speak in public about a crime that may have affected you deeply. Sadly, too often people who are called to be witnesses just do not have the courage to attend, and therefore the efficiency of the justice system fails and trials have to be abandoned. There are seven Magistrate's Courts in Oxfordshire, each meeting on different days, and a team of volunteers are needed to help witnesses as they arrive, to be on hand during and after the hearings. The volunteers are trained to provide emotional support and practical information about court proceedings. They are also able to arrange pre-court visits so that witnesses can see the layouts before the court assembles. The volunteers help
Could you be a Witness Service volunteer? Volunteers are expected to attend one of the seven courts in the county - Banbury, Bicester, Witney, Wantage, Didcot, Thame and Oxford for a whole day every week or fortnight. There will be at least two volunteers on duty at each session, and full training will be given by Victim Support. Travel expenses will be paid. For more details write to Oxfordshire Magistrates Court Witness Service, c/o Victim Support, Banbury Police Station, Warwick Road, Banbury OX16 7AE, or telephone 01869 247 050. Please consider giving some of your time to this valuable service. | TOP | |
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