This weeks talk was provided by one of our own members, Chris Lilley, who is chairing the pilot group for, what will be, our local Good Neighbours Scheme.
Good Neighbours Schemes co-ordinate local volunteers with people in need of assistance with day to day tasks such as dog walking, shopping, gardening, household chores and lifts. Those in need are typically, but needn’t be, elderly, disabled or vulnerable. Some will need regular help, in other cases it may be a temporary requirement perhaps whilst recovering from an accident or while a family member is on holiday.
Chris is currently engaged with setting up a scheme for the LN12 area (Mablethorpe, Sutton on Sea and Trusthorpe) and is actively looking for people who may benefit from assistance or volunteer as a ‘neighbour’, co-ordinator or committee member. Work is also being undertaken to identify the local needs that exist and, interestingly, several individuals have volunteered to carry out multiple tasks whilst also requesting help in other areas.
The scheme is initially funded through Community Lincs and the YMCA which will also assist with the launch offering training and assistance with areas like DBS checks, insurance and EU GDPR compliance.
Chris points out that our coastal location attracts a lot of retired couples who, having moved away from their family, often have no one to turn to when in need of assistance. It is hoped that the scheme will be up and running by Easter to meet this need.