VOLUNTEER COLUMN: Wonderful things happen in your community every day '“ could you be a part of it?

For more about Volunteer Now! on their website - www.do-it.org

Whether it’s providing support and advice to young people, sharing a cup of tea and a chat with a lonely older person, or looking after a sick or abandoned animal, organisations in your local area are doing amazing things every day. You could help! Find out more at www.do-it.org.

Enabling a fuller life – Leonard Cheshire Disability

St Bridget’s is home to 38 people with disabilities all of whom have different interests, opinions, likes and dislikes – in other words they are all an individual.

They are, therefore, looking for a range of different people to volunteer to assist residents with pursuing their interests and support them in the ordinary tasks of life.

Someone, perhaps, who is willing to share their favourite television programme, or discuss different musical genres so their experience of life is broadened.

This opportunity is open to a broad range of people; volunteers are given appropriate training to their role and support from staff until confident and as appropriate.

Volunteer tour guide – Look and Sea Centre

Look and Sea aims to provide a first class experience for visitors to and residents of Littlehampton, capitalising on its unique position on the bend of the River Arun.

The centre encompasses a five-storey high viewing tower giving 360-degree views of the river, sea and South Downs, the Littlehampton Experience heritage exhibition offering an educational service for all, and the restaurant with its fine food.

Volunteers are needed to assist the education officer with school and community visits to the centre, giving talks about Littlehampton’s river and seaside heritage.

Scripts and artefacts can be provided and there may be opportunity for further development by the volunteer.

Approximately three hours per week will be required

Gateway assessor – Citizens Advice Arun & Chichester

Citizens Advice Arun & Chichester offers free, confidential information and advice on: debt, housing, welfare benefits, employment, consumer problems, family issues, legal issues and many other areas.

Gateway assessors help clients get the right help in the fastest time possible.

They assess people’s needs, either face-to-face or over the phone, and identify the most appropriate course of action.

That might be self-help information, referral to a specialist organisation or an appointment with a CA adviser.

The work is very interesting and varied.

All assessors complete the Citizens Advice gateway assessing training course and receive a certificate from Citizens Advice once they are fully trained.

Volunteer sessions worker – Arun Sunshine Group

Arun Sunshine Group aims to provide a regular break for carers by providing a safe and friendly befriending service and social programme for adults with a learning difficulty in their care.

The group aims to counter isolation, provide friendship, company and stimulation while aiming to improve communication and social skills.

As a volunteer sessions worker you will help to run this very worthwhile project under the supervision of the senior sessions worker. No special skills are required; you just need to be loving, caring and enthusiastic.

• For more information on any of the above roles, please call Volunteer Now! on 01243 864220, or visit www.do-it.org. For bite-sized volunteering of ten days or less please visit skillshare-westsussex.org.uk

---

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1) Make our website your homepage at www.littlehamptongazette.co.uk/

2) Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LittlehamptonGazette

3) Follow us on Twitter @LhamptonGazette

4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

The Littlehampton Gazette - always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.