Be A Part Of The Kesgrave Good Neighbour Scheme

What Happens Next?

 

We will spend the rest of April distributing and collecting surveys. Then we’ll collate them to see if demand is sufficient for a scheme and if there are enough potential volunteers. There will be a gathering, open to all residents of Kesgrave, on Wednesday 23rd May at 7 30 pm at Kesgrave Community Centre, to find out more and hopefully help launch Kesgrave into a fully fledged scheme.

Above is a picture of volunteers from an existing Good Neighbour Scheme in Suffolk that has been up and running for a while. There are over 20 of these schemes across the county – we’ve spoken to quite a few people from other schemes and they are delighted with the results and the effect the schemes have had on the community.

What’s It All About?!

Here’s how we described it on the front of the survey form:

With the assistance of Suffolk ACRE, people in Kesgrave are considering launching a Good Neighbour Scheme aimed at helping to make life easier for people in this community and especially the elderly, although the scheme could help all age groups.

A Good Neighbour Scheme revolves around a group of volunteers who can help in a number of ways: by giving a lift, by checking a smoke alarm or changing a light bulb, by fixing a tap, by tidying a garden, by befriending someone who is lonely or new to Kesgrave. There are many other ways in which the scheme can help people.

You may need help from the scheme, or perhaps you may like to volunteer to help others. Volunteers can use the scheme too.

HOW THE SCHEME WORKS

A core group of volunteers take turns to hold the scheme’s dedicated mobile phone.

They are backed up by a team of volunteers who agree to help in one or more of the ways listed in the questionnaire overleaf.

The telephone number of the scheme is made known throughout the community and any resident in genuine need can call for help of the kind mentioned in the questionnaire.

Each call is matched to an appropriate volunteer.

***

Please fill in the questionnaire overleaf and return to one of the following collection points: Penzance Road Post Office, Post Office — Main Road, The Birches Medical Centre, Kesgrave Library, Town Council Offices, The Bell, Kesgrave Community Centre, Alice Grange.

Alternatively one of your neighbours may call to collect the form.

If you have any questions go to www.onesuffolk.co.uk/GoodNeighbourScheme or call the scheme working party mobile 074451 66993.

Suffolk ACRE Ltd Registered Charity No 1062038. A company limited by guarantee.

Welcome To The Blog Of The Kesgrave Good Neighbour Scheme

First of all, please note that we are not a fully fledged Good Neighbour Scheme yet but we’re getting there fast. We call ourselves the Kesgrave Good Neighbour Scheme Working Party (when we can get that out of our mouths properly!) and we have been working with Suffolk Acre for the last few months to get set up properly. At the moment we are in the survey stage – trying to establish needs and resources in Kesgrave. There are survey forms and collection points all over town and we’re also delivering forms to our neighbours for them to complete at their leisure at home and drop off to their nearest collection point or ask for them to be collected.

The above picture shows our stand at last month’s Kesgrave Market where we chatted to plenty of neighbours who were almost all very excited about the scheme and filled in plenty of survey forms.