Our AGM was held at the Memorial Hall, Wheathampstead, on Wednesday 19th June 2024. Thank you to everyone that attended. Our annual general meeting is open for anyone to attend and is great way to meet the WGC Committee, Volunteers, and to find out about what we do and ways to get involved.
Read our Annual Report 2023-24
Wheathampstead Community Group – Our Autumn Update by David Johnston (Chair)
Lots has been going on with the WCG! Our Companionship Network has been busy helping members of our community who are lonely and in need of companionship. Residents may need companionship for various reasons – maybe a recent bereavement, friends moved away or they just feel isolated and lonely. When we hear their story, we aim to match them to a befriending volunteer. Befriending allows the resident and volunteer to meet regularly in a companionable way.
At the moment we have 8 residents matched with befrienders making a big difference to their lives. One resident reported, the service has given him “a new lease of life” – while a befriender explained, “I am literally the only person he has now… when I grow old, I would like to think someone would take the time to be my friend, to keep an eye out on my behalf”. Unfortunately, we have more residents in need of support than we have volunteers, so are always looking for new companions.
At another level, our ever-popular Transport Service has continued taking residents who may no longer be able to drive themselves or who are unable to use public transport, to and from medical appointments. In the past year, we have completed 466 journeys to local hospitals, GP surgeries, opticians, and other health practices.
We delivered stationery packs to our primary school leavers prior to their moves to secondary school and we are planning winter activities including Santa’s Grotto for Lights-Up, Santa’s sleigh runs and, of course, our Singalong just before Christmas.
Your Community Group is run entirely by volunteers and we rely on residents like you to help. Feel free to contact me directly on 07774 211933, by email at chair@wheathampsteadwcg.org or visit www.wheathampsteadwcg.org.
Our AGM was held at the Memorial Hall, Wheathampstead, on Wednesday 5th July 2023. Thank you to everyone that attended. Our annual general meeting is open for anyone to attend and is great way to meet the WGC Committee, Volunteers, and to find out about what we do and ways to get involved.
Read our Annual Report 2022-23
Our AGM was held on-line this year in line with Covid-19 guidance on gatherings. We have also published an Annual Report, with a review of the year’s activities and the annual accounts. You can download it here.
We would like to thank all those who helped with the WCG appeal for 2019, whether you volunteered or gave a donation. This a vital fundraiser for the Wheathampstead Community Group. It helps us to assist those people who have be referred to us via health visitors, children’s centres, CAB, Scout Leaders, GP’s and many different sources.
We are really pleased that we smashed all previous donations received and raised an amazing £11,219.06! This total includes over £2,074 in Gift Aid which makes a huge difference to the overall total.
During 2018 – 2019 we had many different requests for help. Some of the ways we assisted the residents of Wheathampstead were:
Without the generosity of the Wheathampstead community, the help that we could provide would be greatly reduced. So thank you!
If you have not yet donated or wish to donate regularly, you could do it online here.
The Gold Awards are presented at the Annual Parish Council in March and we are delighted that two of our invaluable volunteers have been recognised for their work and support in the community.
The Gold Awards are given by the Parish Council to people for their dedication to volunteering in Wheathampstead.
This was what was said about Ann and Bel
“Bel Bluemel the Wheathampstead Community Group Community Secretary visits all the people who request some form of financial help from WCG.
The role requires endless patience, understanding and empathy and there is no doubt that Bel has large quantities of these qualities.
Bel is always the first person to volunteer to help with any job that needs doing, she has total commitment to helping others and she carries out her sometimes difficult role as Community Secretary with selfless modesty”
“Ann Rudeforth has been the Wheathampstead Community Group Transport Secretary for well over 20 years. Her role is to try to ensure that any vulnerable or elderly person living in Wheathampstead is able to attend a medical appointment whether it is the local Village Surgery or Watford or Lister hospitals. Ann has 250 users and 50 volunteer drivers who she organises.
It is a vital lifeline for many people who cannot call upon family because they do not live nearby or friends because they too are no longer able to drive.
Ann quietly and very efficiently pulls everything together ensuring that no-one is let down or left to feel isolated without support. She is a remarkable woman who was awarded the British Empire Medal ( BEM) by the Queen for her services to the Community. “
We are incredibly proud of Ann and Bel for winning these awards, without the support of people like Ann and Bel we couldn’t do what we do within your our community. Well done ladies!
If you are interested in volunteering or want to find out more about how you can help get in touch
We would like to thank the amazing Ann for all her time and effort with the Wheathampstead Community Group. Ann is stepping down from her invaluable Transport Co-ordinator post for the WCG after many years supporting and will be sorely missed.
Therefore Wheathampstead Community Group (WCG) are seeking a Transport Co-ordinator.
We need someone who is going to be able to run a system using emails with the support of 10 organisers who take it in turns to run the system but the Co-ordinator needs to be in overall control.
Job Description: TRANSPORT CO-ORDINATOR
|
Overall Purpose |
| Responsible for the smooth running of the Transport scheme by ensuring that all client transport needs are met in an effective and efficient manner; |
| Responsible to the Executive Committee as a whole but reports to the Chair. |
| Main Duties and Responsibilities |
| · Maintaining a database of all clients needing to use the transport scheme, recognising their transport needs and scheduling them accordingly; |
| · Maintaining a database of all volunteer drivers, recognising their availability and scheduling their drives accordingly, passing on any changes in driver details to the Treasurer (to ensure accurate insurance records) and to the Secretary and IT support (for amendments to the volunteers database); |
| · Taking responsibility for drawing up a rota of scheme administrators on a fortnightly basis, delegating the day-to-day administration of the scheme accordingly; |
| · Through the administrators, adding new clients for the transport scheme, identifying and cataloguing their needs and adding their details to the database; |
| · Ensuring that all tools to aid the scheme: mobile telephone, blue badges, etc are properly maintained, contracts kept up to date, and that the appropriate tools are made available to the correct volunteers as appropriate; |
| · Checking out new medical venues as they arise; |
| · Checking out parking facilities and charges at all medical venues and reviewing these on a regular basis; |
| · Preparing and distributing notes to assist new drivers, including insurance forms. |
| · Ensuring proper and appropriate communication transport scheme plans and needs to the Executive Committee/Chair. |
Do you know anyone who can help? Would you like to help your local charity? We would love to hear from you if you do. Get in touch
We would like to thank the wonderful Gwladys Shone for all her time and effort with the Wheathampstead Community Group. Gwladys is stepping down from her invaluable Committee Secretary post for the WCG after many years.
Therefore Wheathampstead Community Group (WCG) are seeking a Committee Secretary, who is responsible for the smooth running of our formal meetings and the recruitment and administration of our volunteers. The role is important to the support of our Chair.
The main duties and responsibilities of the role are:
Ensuring that WCG Committee and Annual General meetings are run efficiently and are properly recorded:
Recruiting and administering WCG volunteers:
Do you know anyone who used to be an accountant or is a whiz with numbers? Would you like to help your local charity? We would love to hear from you if you do. Get in touch