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MARCH 2010

'Signpost Helpline'

The Trustees of the Springline Good Neighbour Scheme (SGNS) have issued a notice regarding the establishment of a new 'good neighbour scheme' ('Signpost Helpline') to work alongside SGNS.

The notice is available to read by clicking on the link below.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD Announcement.doc

FEBRUARY 2010

Lincs2gether - Training Schedule

The Lincs2gether project is a two year project (ending in December 2010) funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and Lincolnshire County Council and is being delivered in partnership between Urban Challenge, Community Lincs, South Lincolnshire Community & Voluntary Service and Voluntary Action East Lindsey.

Their training schedule for volunteer training in the first quarter of 2010 has been received and their brochure is available here to download.

SGNS volunteers wishing to book any of the training courses are asked to contact the relevant organisation direct.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD TrainingBrochureJan-Apr10FinalVersion.pdf

JANUARY 2010

DEC Haiti Earthquake Appeal

Following the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the SGNS Trustees have agreed to publish details of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal.

DEC is a charity collective of 13 humanitarian aid agencies:

Action Aid - British Red Cross - CAFOD - Care International UK - Christian Aid - Concern Worldwide - Help the Aged - Islamic Relief - Merlin - Oxfam - Save the Children - Tearfund - World Vision

Donations to the appeal can be made as follows:

ONLINE: by visiting the DEC website (www.dec.org.uk) < click here to be transferred

If you wish to 'gift aid' a donation, please visit the DEC website and follow their on-screen instructions.

TELEPHONE: by calling 0370 60 60 900

TEXT: by texting the word 'GIVE' to 70077 to donate £5

texts will cost £5 plus your standard network SMS charge

POST: by sending a cheque made payable to 'DEC HAITI EARTHQUAKE' to the following address - DEC HAITI EARTHQUAKE, PO BOX 999, LONDON, EC3A 3AA

BANK or POST OFFICE: by visiting any high street bank or post office and donating over the counter quoting reference 'FREEPAY 1449'

SGNS Trustees have also agreed to accept direct donations (cash or cheques) which will be collated and passed on to the main appeal by the SGNS Treasurer.

Any such donations MUST be placed in a sealed envelope and clearly marked:

'DEC HAITI EARTHQUAKE'.

Cheques should be made payable to 'DEC HAITI EARTHQUAKE' (not to a Trustee or to SGNS).

(Please note: It will not be possible for SGNS to issue receipts for donations made in this way.)

NOVEMBER 2009

Christmas Fair

SGNS held its annual Christmas Fair on Saturday 7th November at Ingham & Cammeringham Village Hall (in Ingham).

A wide variety of stall-holders offered Christmas goods and novelty items for sale, whilst a larger than normal array of games, raffles and refreshments offered a welcome distraction to visitors from the early onset of Christmas shopping.

The Trustees are pleased to report that, despite the gloom of the recession, the event was still well supported with SGNS earning a substantial amount of £332.80 towards funding the charity.

(This compared favourably with the amount of £335.65 taken in 2008!)

The organisers would like to thank all the stall-holders and visitors for their support and generosity.

SEPTEMBER 2009

Do you live alone?

The Trustees are looking to establish an initial group of 8 or 10 'trialists' to take part in a new short-term pilot scheme aimed at trying to alleviate some of the anxiety that many people feel when living alone.

This is not an age-related initiative, as the Trustees appreciate that people of any age group can often feel isolated or at risk when living alone.

The only commitment that would be required from any volunteer to the pilot scheme would be the ability to make one telephone call and receive one telephone call on a daily basis.

If you feel that you (or someone you know) might benefit from the implementation of this new initiative, please telephone the SGNS helpline on 07724 626719 or click on the red 'Contact' button and leave your details so that we can contact you.

AUGUST 2009

Volunteer's Party

Mrs June Willows (Trustee and co-founder of SGNS) welcomed over 30 volunteers to her home on Friday 14 August 2009 for a party held by the Trustees to celebrate the enormous amount of time and hard work that our volunteers continue to put in for the scheme.

This annual event is always well received by both Trustees and the volunteers and our thanks are due to June for her hospitality.

Our picture shows a few of the SGNS volunteers enjoying the buffet.

JUNE 2009

Lincoln Volunteer Centre

On 5th June, Maggie Sellick (one of the SGNS Recruitment Adminstrators) and Julie Saville (one of the SGNS Trustees) attended a meeting at the Lincoln Volunteer Centre where useful contacts were established with other individuals and organisations.

Our picture shows the display which was set up to publicise the valuable work of SGNS.

APRIL 2009

Spring Training Programme 2009

Voluntary Centre Services, Lincoln is holding a series of free training events over the coming months aimed at volunteers and host organisations (such as SGNS).

All courses are being held at: The Healthy Hub, Beaumont Fee, Lincoln LN1 1UW

Click on the link (below) for details of the various courses available.

Places are limited and will be allocated on a strictly first come, first served basis.

To book places, or to obtain further information, please contact:

Dianne, Hazel or Sue (at The Healthy Hub - 01522 551683) or e-mail: info@volunteercentrelincoln.org.uk

In order that our own volunteer records can be updated, please also contact Maggie Sellick (SGNS Recruitment Administrator - via the red 'Contact' button) to advise that you have booked.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD SpringTraining2009.pdf

APRIL 2009

Expenses

Volunteers:

Did you know that it is now possible to receive settlement of expense claims direct to your bank account by registering with our SGNS 'direct payments' system?

Not only does this save SGNS postage costs, but it means that volunteers will receive their funds so much quicker.... and everyone benefits!

Simply click on the red 'Downloads' button and the select 'Reclaiming Expenses - Direct Payments' to print the form; which should then be completed and sent to the Treasurer.

MARCH 2009

In Memorium

It is with immense sadness that the Trustees announce that Viv Snailham passed away on 11th March 2009.

Viv was one of the founder members of the Springline Good Neighbour Scheme and was a tireless force in ensuring the ongoing success of the scheme.

Our thoughts are with her husband, Keith, and their family at this extremely difficult time.

JANUARY 2009

Mileage Rates

The Trustees are seeking the views of our Members and Volunteers on the current level of '25p per mile' that is reclaimable from SGNS for mileage undertaken in the course of discharging volunteer duties for SGNS.

A working paper has been prepared by the Trustees for reference by our Members and Volunteers. A copy of the working paper is attached herewith (below) and it has also been circulated with the Winter/Spring 2009 edition of our newsletter - 'Springboard'.

Please submit your views to the Treasurer or any Trustee or alternatively e-mail your comments to springlinegns@googlemail.com

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD mileagerates.doc

DECEMBER 2008

Volunteer Review

Our Telephone Co-ordinators are presently undertaking a review of the records held for all volunteers in an effort to ascertain whether the information originally provided regarding volunteer availability is still correct.

Keeping this information up-to-date will help both volunteers and SGNS. It saves untimely or inconvenient telephone calls to volunteers as well as saving time for the Telephone Co-ordinators and telephone costs for SGNS.

If the circumstances regarding your original availablity have changed, volunteers should contact one of the Telephone Co-ordinators (or one of the Trustees) so that SGNS can ensure the information held remains valid.

NOVEMBER 2008

Annual General Meeting

Our fourth Annual General Meeting was held on Wednesday 14th November 2008.

22 Members and Volunteers attended the meeting.

Copies of the minutes can be obtained from any of the Trustees.

OCTOBER 2008

First Aid Course

Twenty Two (22) volunteers successfully completed a six hour Emergency Aid for Appointed Persons course on 16 October 2008 at The Methodist Community Rooms, Ingham.

The course, which was provided by Steadfast Training, contained practical instruction on casualty management, the recovery position, drowning, choking, bleeding, burns, resucitation of babies, children and adults; plus an introduction to the legal and administrative 'red tape' associated with the provision of first aid.

Certificates have been provided to all the successful participants.

NOVEMBER 2008

Christmas Fair

Our annual Christmas Fair was held at Ingham & Cammeringham Village Hall (in Ingham) and raised £350 towards SGNS funds.

Our thanks are due to all those involved in organising the event and to the partcipating stallholders for helping to make the event a success.

JULY 2008

Garden Party

The Trustees wish to thank Mrs Nadine Fox (Normanby-by-Spital) for generously opening her house and gardens for a 'Garden Party' on Monday 21st July, during which funds were raised for the benefit of the Springline Good Neighbour Scheme.

A number of fund raising games and draws were organised and those attending were able to partake in homemade refreshments.

The Treasurer made a short presentation of the aims and objectives of the Scheme to those attending.

APRIL 2008

SGNS Patron

We are extremely pleased to announce that The Right Revd. Dr. John Saxbee, Bishop of Lincoln has agreed to become Patron of the Springline Good Neighbour Scheme with immediate effect.

In confirming his appointment to the Trustees of the Scheme, Bishop John expressed his view that...."if it is felt useful in furthering the aims and objectives of the Scheme then I am pleased to be of service in that way".

He also took the opportunity to...."wish you all well as you take this initiative forward into the future."

The Trustees would like to place on record their sincere appreciation to Bishop John for agreeing to act as Patron of the Scheme and look forward to forging a beneficial relationship.