Communicare Southampton offer assistance to social events and medical appointments for their service users, and are looking for more volunteers!
Between helping to beat loneliness in their community to directly supporting enterprises in their business initiative scheme, Communicare Southampton work closely with people from all walks of life.
Click this link to view Communicare Southampton’s website.
They have kindly written an informative blog about the work they do, which can be read below.
Communicare, a friendly neighbourhood charity, provides services that enrich the lives of lonely and isolated people in and around Southampton.
Its services are staffed by its devoted volunteers, known as Communiteers, who give their time supporting the organisation.
Communicare’s services
The charity is currently supporting more than 600 individuals/families through tasks including one-to-one telephone befriending and transport for essential appointments and assistance with shopping.
The services Communicare provides are free to users, although beneficiaries are invited to make a donation if they are able to, and Communiteers are offered expenses.
Communicare currently has around 300 Communiteers and has launched a campaign to substantially increase this number to be able to support more people through all the services it offers.
Communiteer roles
It is looking for ‘travel buddies’ to assist people across the city in becoming more confident, independent travellers, using the most appropriate means of getting around to suit their circumstances.
As well as this, it is also looking for ‘activity buddies’ to buddy up with the individuals it supports, who are lonely and/or isolated through mobility difficulty, learning or physical disability, mental health issues or challenging social circumstances, and help them to access opportunities to become more physically active.
There are more general volunteer roles available too, including driving individuals to and from appointments, befriending, shopping, assisting on days out and lunch clubs to name a few.
Interested in volunteering?
The majority of volunteers’ roles are flexible, allowing them to help with regular activities and/or ‘one off’ opportunities when available. Communicare offers a 15-minute video meeting with a Volunteer Coordinator where people can find out more about the roles and ask any questions they might have.
Communiteers are offered simple and basic training on topics such as safeguarding, manual handling and developing listening skills. They can choose their level of involvement and the types of activities they wish to engage in too.
Support provided is at a neighbourly level and Communicare does not offer professional, personal care, which can be given by statutory providers, or routine cleaning or gardening.
Fundraising
In order to support the services it provides, it regularly runs fundraising events throughout the year.
Its annual festive Tree of Light campaign, available via this link, raised more than £1,400 last year (2021). It encourages people to sponsor a light on one of two trees across the city, in memory of a loved-one or special cause and the switch on events are always an important date in people’s diaries.
The charity wouldn’t be where it is today without the generosity of the general public, who work hard to do what they can to raise much needed funds, from running the ABP Southampton Marathon to smaller events such as challenges, bake sales, book swaps, clothes swaps and themed events.
It also set up a commercial venture in 2021 in the form of a community bakery. CommuniBakes, via this link, provides a range of homemade sweet and savoury treats as well as breads, soups and more. The aim of the initiative is to provide a fantastic bakery for the community and somewhere where people can go and start conversations with each other. All profits from bakes sold go to Communicare.
To find out more about Communicare, becoming a Communiteer or how to fundraise for the charity, please visit their website via this link or call 023 8250 0050.
