VOLUNTEERS FAIR AT LICHFIELD CATHEDRAL

Volunteers Fair – Lichfield Cathedral – Tuesday 18th January (2.30pm to 4.30pm) In partnership with Lichfield cathedral, a Volunteers Fair has been planned for 18th January. The fair will occupy the Nave and be actively promoted across the media. My experience has shown that a good time to recruit potential volunteers is in January – people still make new year’s resolutions! There is already a good deal of interest in this Fair. If you would like to book a ‘stand’, please let me know as soon as possible. It promises to be a great event in a prestigious venue. Volunteer ‘Surgery’ – The Hub, Market Square – Every Wednesday morning For past few weeks I have held a weekly volunteer ‘surgery’ at The Hub. We have promoted volunteering and help people find the volunteering roles that suit them. The sessions have been surprisingly busy and referrals to charities have been made. Volunteer Surgery at The Hub We can actively promote types specific roles that I know you need to fill – eg drivers and trustees. If you would like us to do more, just drop me a line or pop in and see us on a Wednesday at the Hub. Promoting Volunteering in the media The start of the Volunteers Surgery has been promoted in the media – Lichfield Live, Facebook and Support Staffordshire website. I will work on getting the Surgery added to Lichfield District Council’s newsletter. Lichfield Live have posted details about volunteering over the weekend Promoting volunteer roles I have some lovely volunteering stories we can promote – do let me have any that you know will help encourage those potential volunteers ‘on the fence’. In addition, I issue a Volunteering update email to an ever growing group of people interested in volunteering locally. I have attached my latest update from last week – it includes brief details of over 20 roles. If you would like me to add any roles to the newsletter, do drop me a line. Volunteering Database – Simply Connect Claire Ferris outlined in her last email some information about Simply Connect – a new, tried and tested volunteering database devised and supported by the ‘third sector’. It is an excellent base to publicise your volunteering roles and for volunteers to self-refer. We will also support you with this. All groups on the previous system have been ‘transferred’ over to Simply Connect, BUT, you have to ‘activate’ your account to ensure volunteers can be referred to you. This is critical in enabling your roles to be identified and promoted. If you haven’t already activated your account, the steps you need to take are: Go to Support Staffordshire Looking for Volunteers Link - Simply Connect Press the blue ‘button’ when you get to the link page, i.e. as if you are not registered. Approval is confirmed by email – we will be looking out for your registration! This will enable you to reset your volunteer roles. Over the coming weeks, Iwan Griffiths and I, where needed, will be contacting you to help you with any questions about Simply Connect and to get you onto the system. I look forward to hearing from you – particularly about the Volunteers Fair. Kind regards and all the very best. Rick Hill OBE (he/him) Volunteer Officer – Lichfield District Direct Tel: 07912479444