CHOLSEY VOLUNTEERS TRUST

Grant to Cholsey Volunteers Trust

Each of these areas of involvement requires a significant amount of development and co-ordination, as well as 'routine maintenance', addressing problems which inevitably arise. We have had the good fortune to receive some grant aid and undertaken ....more

Each of these areas of involvement requires a significant amount of development and co-ordination, as well as 'routine maintenance', addressing problems which inevitably arise. We have had the good fortune to receive some grant aid and undertaken considerable fundraising to employ a Development Co-ordinator, without whom we would not have been able to initiate half of the projects with which we are involved. Our sim in applying for funds at this critical stage of our development is to be able to pay for her for the remaining portion of this financial year, August 2022 to March 2023, in order to consolidate what we have done so far. Our concern is that we would have to divert our energies to fundraising for her costs at the very time when we expect the need for what we offer will start to increase. To be funded for our core staff member for this period will enable us to enhance what we already do and build up further networking ties with groups in other towns and villages. This role is especially critical given not just the overall number of volunteers and potential volunteers involved, 200 plus, but also because some of the areas of volunteer work require training and supervision. This matters most in areas like advocacy and support, where volunteers have to be 'vetted' for appropriate skills and awareness of the boundaries within their work,, and in areas like transport where the safety and compliance with policy are most important. Volunteers often also need direct support - it requires quite some skill to take on the role - and the Development Officer has shown us how important this role is.