As fuel bills rise and household incomes fall, it’s a sad fact that some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Derbyshire will be facing the choice of ‘heating or eating’ this winter.  As part of a campaign that seeks to tackle the impact of fuel poverty, Advice Derbyshire have developed an online database of food banks and schemes operating across Derbyshire.

 

The resource allows users, and in particular front line workers, to search for their nearest scheme by postcode, which will provide a detailed map and information about any available services. In the New Year Advice Derbyshire will extend this work to include the collection and distribution of food donations, and are eager to work with partners to identify and address any gaps in provision. To access the resource click here, or go to the following link:

http://www.advicederbyshire.org/foodbanks.asp

and please do let others know it is there.

 

For further information about the campaign please contact:
Kris Ambler at kris.ambler@advicederbyshire.org

You are warmly invited to attend the Annual General Meeting of Buxton Volunteer Centre to be held on Monday, 24 October 2011, at 5:30pm, at Buxton Methodist Church, Chapel St. Buxton, SK17 6HX.
This is your opportunity to find out about what services the voluntary and community sector in the High Peak offers and network with volunteers.

During the AGM, you will hear about the services we have provided over the last 12 months.

We look forward to you joining us. Tea, coffee and cakes will be served from 5.30 pm onwards.

Telephone: Alistair Rogerson on 01298 23970 for further information.

The Handy Van Network in the Derbyshire Dales has been relaunched. 

The network is coordinated by Derbyshire County Council in partnership with Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service and local district and borough councils, with agencies in each area running them on a day-to-day basis.

In Derbyshire Dales the new agency behind the running of the Handy Van is the Buxton and District Volunteer Centre and there is a new phone number to contact the service - 01298 23970.

Representatives from all organisations involved in the Handy Van Network met in Ashbourne to relaunch the service.

A fleet of 10 Handy Vans covers the county delivering free practical support to older and vulnerable people in their own homes, helping them to stay independent.

In the Derbyshire Dales the Handy Van has completed more than 5,000 tasks and carried out almost 2,000 visits.

At your service: Derbyshire County Council leader Councillor Andrew Lewer takes the wheel of the relaunched Derbyshire Dales Handy Van with Handy Van driver Brian Rogers looking on.

Buxton Volunteer Centre have received £475.00 for the Befriending Service, raised through fundraising by Waitrose supermarket.

'The Befriending Service' provides a volunteer who acts as a 'good neighbour' to older people in Buxton.  Our volunteers visit, chat and provide company.  Where possible we can also do some shopping.

Kate Shenton, Befriending Co-ordinator at the Volunteer Centre, said:

"We are very grateful for this cheque and thankful of the fundraising efforts of Waitrose. The Befriending Service is just one of areas where we support people in the High Peak and this money will go towards developing the service and will help to enhance its quality."

12 July 2011

 

The Derbyshire Handy Van Network in the Dales is coordinated by the District Council in partnership with Derbyshire County Council and Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service.

The new agency behind the running of the Handy Van in the Dales is the Buxton and District Volunteer Centre.  The change in agency has also meant that the phone number to contact the service in the Derbyshire Dales has changed to 01298 23970.

Representatives from all organisations involved in the Handy Van Network attended the relaunch of the free Handy Van service, which delivers practical support to older and vulnerable people in their own homes, helping them to stay independent.

In the Derbyshire Dales the Handy Van has completed more than 5,000 tasks and carried out almost 2,000 visits.

Tasks carried out range from changing light bulbs and fixing taps to securing rugs, installing safety and security items like smoke alarms and moving furniture.

As well as carrying out tasks to keep older people safe in their own home, Handy Van staff can also give advice and information about other services which can help and support them.

Derbyshire Dales District Council Leader Councillor Lewis Rose OBE, who is also Chairman of the Safer Derbyshire Dales Community Safety Partnership, said: “While the Dales is statistically one of the safest places to live in the whole of the UK, it is important that our older and vulnerable residents actually feel safe and secure in their homes.  The Handy Van provides a tremendous service in this respect.”

Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Adult Care Councillor Charles Jones said: “The Handy Van scheme is an excellent way of supporting people to live independently in their homes.

“It can also help prevent accidents as people can call on the Handy Van rather than attempting work themselves.

“Hundreds of people benefit every year and we’re pleased to welcome the new provider to the Derbyshire Dales.”

Pictured above: Derbyshire Dales Handy Van man Brian Rogers at the relaunch with Chairman of the District of the Derbyshire Dales Councillor Mrs Judith Twigg and (bottom picture) displaying the new contact number.

My friend and I volunteer at Buxton Volunteer Centre, working on the reception desk. We are both visually impaired and participate in the ‘Walks for Health’ scheme that the centre offers, run by Ross Burnage.

 

The scheme provides volunteer guides every other Friday. These are vital to us as we are unable to get out for a proper walk unless we are accompanied by a sighted person. 

 

I am partaking in a sponsored walk for the visually impaired group of which I am chair. On the 8th of July I am doing a 16 kilometre walk of which I have been training for 8 weeks. By doing this I hope to raise some funds for the Peak Visually Impaired Group (V.I.P’s) to help with trips and other outings.

 

I would like to thank all the people who’ve supported me in this venture.  If you would like to donate or sponsor me please call in at Buxton Volunteer Centre, situated on the Market place next to Sainsbury’s.

Many thanks from Liz Martin

.

 

 

Getting personalised health information, whether to address specific concerns or just to see how healthy you are, can be a challenge. But with the launch of LifeCheck on the NHS Choices website, this will now be much easier.

The LifeCheck tool generates an individual health profile and health tips tailored to the user’s needs based on answers to key questions about age and lifestyle.The individual is then encouraged to set achievable goals to improve their health and wellbeing.

The new LifeCheck is a user-friendly tool covering all age groups from newborns to grandparents. It combines and extends three existing tools: Baby LifeCheck (5 to 8 months), Teen LifeCheck (12 to 15 years), Mid-LifeCheck (for the over 40s).

Health Minister Simon Burns said: “We all sometimes wonder whether we could be doing more to look after our health. Getting clear, reliable information that’s relevant to our own circumstances can be a challenge.

“LifeCheck offers a free, quick and easy way of doing this. By giving advice which is personalised and suggesting achievable goals it encourages people to think about how simple lifestyle changes can improve their own health and that of their families.”

To check out yours please use the hyperlink:
http://www.nhs.uk/lifecheck/Pages/Start.aspx

The changes mean that some contact numbers to request a Handy Van visit have changed.

The Derbyshire Handy Van Network is coordinated by Derbyshire County Council in partnership with Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service and local district and borough councils.

The service is FREE and delivers practical support to older and vulnerable people in their own homes, helping them to stay independent.

A fleet of 10 vans covers the county and since its launch in 2008 handy van staff have completed nearly 48,000 tasks and made more than 16,500 visits.

The tasks range from changing light bulbs and fixing taps to securing rugs, installing safety and security items like smoke alarms and moving furniture.

As well as carrying out tasks to keep older people safe in their own homes, Handy Van staff can also give advice and information about other services which can help and support them.

While the county council oversees the network, agencies in each area run them on a day-to-day basis.
Some of these agencies have recently changed, and with it the contact numbers.

The organisations and numbers for each area are:

Amber Valley & Erewash – Medequip – 01773 604426 (new)
Derbyshire Dales – Volunteer Centre, Buxton and District – 01298 23970 (new)
High Peak – Volunteer Centre, Buxton and District – 01298 23970
Bolsover, Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire – North Derbyshire Home Improvement Agency – 01246 345748
South Derbyshire – South Derbyshire CVS – 01283 219761.

Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Adult Care Councillor Charles Jones said: “The Handy Van Network provides invaluable support for older and vulnerable people across Derbyshire and has helped and supported thousands of people.

“We are pleased to welcome two new providers on board who will be covering the Amber Valley, Erewash and Derbyshire Dales areas, helping people to live safely and independently in their own homes.”

A team of tireless fundraisers from the University of Derby Buxton presented Buxton Volunteer Centre with a cheque for £150 this week.

Staff from the University's Student Administration Team raise money for charity each week by holding dress-down days and making regular personal donations. They handed over a cheque from their recent fundraising activity to Carole Gregory and Jackie Redfern from Buxton Volunteer Centre on February 17.

One of the fundraisers, Administration Assistant Lesley Norton, said: "We are donating this money to the Home Support Service as one of our team has had recent personal experience with their work and we wanted to say thank you, and give something back."

Carole Gregory, Buxton Home Support Co-ordinator at the Buxton Volunteer Centre, said: "We are really grateful for this cheque and thankful for the fundraising efforts of these University staff. The Home Support Service is just one of our services; through it we provide care for the elderly in their own homes. This money will go towards developing the service and will help to enhance its quality."

Buxton Volunteer Centre has hundreds of varied volunteering opportunities in the local area. To find out more, drop into their office on 16 Eagle Parade, Buxton or visit website http://buxtonvc.org.uk

Charities are calling for a nationwide campaign to help promote mental health after a survey suggested more people are growing anxious.

Britons are more fearful than they were 10 years ago, the Mental Health Foundation says. And more people are suffering from anxiety, which can lead to depression.

The foundation wants a "mental health promotion campaign that shows individuals how to look after their own mental health".

But what might that involve? We asked mental health professionals for 10 simple suggestions... and guess what? Volunteering was one of them!

Do something for someone else… for free

Britons work the longest hours in Europe, and many have a lengthy commute.
Do we have the time to volunteer?

Finding the time may help boost our spirits, experts say. For instance, the Canadian Mental Health Association says giving time for free "gives a sense of purpose and satisfaction that paid work cannot".

If volunteering is good enough for Michael Howard, MP...

Dr Harper says: "Increasingly we live in a society where people focus on work and leisure and that whole aspect of giving something back to a community has changed."

The fact people give so generously to charity shows they respond to helping others, he says. They can take it one step further. "It's important to think about doing things locally. We need to build local communities. How about helping the neighbour next door, and getting to know the people in the next street."

The other suggestions included: 1) Lightboxes, 2) Get out in the garden, 3) Get out of breath, 4) Cook a meal from scratch, 5) Stroke a cat, 6) Pat yourself on the back, 7) Take up a lifetime hobby, 8) Seek intimacy, 9) Good things take time.