CLACTON & DISTRICT VOLUNTEER BUREAU
 

 OUTLINE OF SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE BUREAU 

 

VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT AGENCY

The Bureau acts as a central recruitment agency, matching volunteers to the requirements of voluntary, charitable and statutory organisation in the community.  Currently, we have over 60 organisations on our database and have dealt with over 76 volunteers in the past year.  This is financed through the fundraising efforts of the Management Committee.

 

COMMUNITY INFORMATION DATABASE

The Bureau maintains and disseminates a Community Information Directory database that contains details of welfare, health and social and community services availability throughout the Tendring area. It includes details of a range of services from animal aid charities, help lines, social clubs for a wide variety of activities, voluntary services availability for youth organisations and the elderly and so on.

The information is made available to groups, local government agencies, social service and health departments and private individuals within the community. Copies are provided to organisations such as Clacton & Harwich Citizen Advice Bureaux, Tendring Primary Care Trust, Tendring Community Voluntary Services and Tendring District Council.

The directory is updated twice a year and funding for this is provided by Tendring District Council

 

HELPING HANDS VOLUNTEERS

About 8 years ago, responding to the need within the Community, the Bureau set up the 'Helping Hands' scheme to help isolated elderly, frail and/or disabled residents in the Tendring district.

Tendring has a much higher than the national average elderly population, many of whom retired to the coast and consequently are geographically separated from close family. Many have limited means and as they become more incapacitated, they experience difficulties with driving, doing home maintenance, shopping and getting to and from medical appointments.

The 'Helping Hands' scheme, with the help and commitment of 34 dedicated volunteers provides:

· Subsidised escorted transport for Hospital, Doctor's, Dental, Optical, Podiatry and other
health related appointments.
· Subsidised escorted transport for shopping and social occasions.
· Wheel chair pushers, escorts, and befrienders.
· Small home maintenance tasks.

From April 1999 to March 2000 we were able to assist our 230 clients on more than 4750 occasions, this equates to more than 14100 hours of community service given by our volunteers. In monetary terms at £6.00 per hour this amounts to £84,600, a valuable contribution by any standard.

Registered Charity No. 283473

Back to Organisations Menu