Page 9 - link magazine

swindonlink.com • January 2008 9
Volunteering: find your ideal partner in 2008
With almost 700 vacancies on its books, Volunteer Centre Swindon can put almost any talent or interest to good use.
If your New Year's resolution is: There are countless ways you As well as helping others, vol- leagues looking for a challenge:
'I want to do something,' Get Vol- can get involved, from working unteering brings benefits to those think garden makeover, creating
unteering Week, from 14 to 19 Janu- in a charity shop or youth clubs, involved, like meeting new people, a play area, painting a mural or
ary, is the ideal time to match your to helping students with English having fun and gaining valuable building a compost bin.
skills, interest and enthusiasm with language, delivering fridges for new skills and experience which Volunteer Centre staff will be at
a requestforhelp.Theweekwillalso Refurbiz,manningthephonesfora will look good on any CV. West Swindon Centre on Wednes-
celebratetheworkofvolunteersand bullyinghelplineordoingyourbit Volunteer Centre Swindon can day 16 January and in the Brunel
thank those who already commit for the environment in a multitude also match projects in need of Centre on Friday 18 January
their time and effort. of projects across the area. people power with groups of col- The Volunteer Opportunities'
Bus will also be touring the town
during the week. The timetable
£224 million, the contribution made by carers to Swindon of stops will be posted at www.
Carers from across the town came together for information, support and complementary therapy on Car- empowerswindon.co.uk
ers' Rights Day at the University of Bath Oakfield Campus on 7 December. Contact Volunteer Centre Swin-
don on 420557.
A cheque for £224m was present- Michael Barnes to draw attention to out by carers in the town. Carers UK
ed to the Mayor of Swindon coun the value of the unpaid work carried recently calculated that an average www.swindonvolunteers.org.uk
carer offers £15,260 worth of unpaid
care each year. Do you want to make a
Although they are saving the difference to people's lives?
I country billions, carers do not claim
everything they are entitled to said Are you willing to undertake
Swindon Carers' chief executive, NVQ training in Care?
Mutsai Hove-Bird. "There is a Do ou have your
y
forty to sixty per cent underclaim own motor transport.'
of benefits due to care. There are
0Y-12 0] WE ARE LOOKING FOR
man who are not aware of their
87000 000000 y
K VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE
rights to time off work for caring to join our team to undertake
responsibilities which came into
£n4^oo^ care work in the community
force last year."
ALL CORERS especially evenings and weekends
If you care for somebody and
need to find out what help and sw^Ra0 7 1 Wood Street
Caren
support you could receive - or know Centre Swindon
somebody who cares - call Sandra urfi":
The Mayor accepts the symbolic cheque from carers Toby King, Diana Carpenter and Chapman on531133 or mail: sandra. Telephone 01793 542285
Yvette Pinheiro with Michelle Howard, chair of the Swindon Primary Care Trust, [email protected] for an application pack
Mutsai Hove-Bird, Swindon Carers Chief Executive, Anne Snelgrove MP and corm
David Renard, Swindon cabinet member for housing and social care
SEPARATING?
A New Year - the beginning of the end?
The festive season can be anything but for some couples and a new DIVORCING?
year fills them with dread. If things are coming to an end, it's possible
to make change less painful writes Trevor Morkham, Mediation Practice CHILDREN'S OR
Manager at Family Mediation Swindon
As the religious significance of Christmas has become less relevant FINANCIAL
for many people over the years, it has increasingly come to be viewed ISSUES?
primarily as a celebration of family life and an occasion for family
members to enjoy spending time together.
However, for many families - This need not be the case. Family WANT TO AVOID
particularly those struggling with Mediation provides an alternative COURT?
financial worries or where the way for couples to take stock of
relationship between the parents their situation and, if it is clear
is strained - Christmas can simply that their marriage or relationship Try Family Mediation. It could cost you less
r
exacerbate an al eady difficult is at an end, to calmly consider the
situation and multiply the stress decisions which needtobetakenfor — emotionally and financially
and pressure on everyone. It's not the future benefit of themselves and
surprising then, that agencies con- any children they may have.
cernedwithhelpingfamiliesreport This is not necessarily an easy To find out more, or to arrange a
a significant increase in calls early process but it is one which offers FREE initial meeting for yourself
in the New Year, whilst January to couples the prospect of retaining contact us on 01793 527285
March is the peak period for divorce control of their situation (rather
applications, than placing themselves into the
When tempers are frayed and hands of a solicitor or subjecting FAMILY 34 Milton Road
people reach desperation point, themselves to the lottery of the Swindon
they may act impulsively or in courts) whilst hopefully preserv- MEDIATION
haste. Things may be said or done ing enough goodwill and mutual SERVICE Monday - Friday
which might be regretted later but respect for them to be able to work gam to 4.30pm
which nevertheless put couples on together as parents for their chil- resolving family & community conflict
an inevitable collision course with dren. www.mediationwiltshire.co.uk
one another. If they feel their mar- If mediation is going to be your
riage or relationship has no future, next move, contact the Family "This civilised approach has helped us mend some wounds
often a visit to a solicitor is seen as Mediation Service through the ad- along the way"
the automatic next step. vertisement on the right.