April Newsletter Welcome to a bumper edition of the Nantwich Buddies newsletter! It's a while since we've been in touch but we haven't rested on our laurels. Our community groups, the Happiness Hub and Community Stage have been keeping us busy - you can read more about them below. We're still providing lots of support for many people in our local community and we've included a story here about one of our volunteers and the friendship she's developed with the lady she supports. Although the vaccination programme ended earlier this year, along with our involvement in it, we're looking forward to getting involved with marshalling at local events this summer and we're also continuing to work with local GP surgeries, helping get people to medical appointments if they're not able to get there themselves. So there's still a lot to do and we're looking for more volunteers to join us. Please read below about all the things we do and get in touch if you'd like to find out more! |
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Still making a difference - why not join us? |
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Over the last 12 months we have... - provided over 5,000 volunteer hours
- supported over 100 households
- run almost 40 community group sessions
- provided transport for more than 50 trips to medical appointments
...and there's no sign of us slowing down! If you'd like to join us - please get in touch. |
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Six months of the Happiness Hub |
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In October last year, we set up a well-being group at the Granary Arts Café - a friendly and welcoming place for people to meet with a shared interest in promoting happiness and well-being. We're strong believers that being a part of any community group is in itself great for your wellbeing. Each month, Kedren (a fully trained Counsellor and Nantwich Buddy) runs activities and invites guest speakers based on the monthly well-being themes. These themes are all about improving your mental health and well-being and can help members feel more positive and get the most out of life. We’ve welcomed over sixty people to the Happiness Hub since we started. Each week we have eight to fifteen people attending and getting involved with the themes and enjoying the lovely vegan cake and hot drinks the cafe has to offer. April’s theme is Resilience and we’ll be talking about ways to bounce back. If you would like to come along or know anyone who might enjoy the group, please come down to the Granary Arts Café at 8pm any Tuesday night. |
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Take the Community Stage! |
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Community stage was set up at the beginning of the year to be a place for aspiring musicians, poets, artists and creatives to come and express themselves and build confidence in safe, welcoming and uplifting place. It’s been running every Sunday at the Granary Arts Café and the feedback from the first three months has been brilliant! People have played their instruments, read poetry, debuted their art and sang for the first time in public. Confidence has improved and barriers dropped - exactly what we'd hoped for! One of the organisers of the event is Benjamin Stubbs – a Mindset Coach from the local area, he said, “The feedback we have been getting is exactly why we set this up. We wanted to bridge the gap between performing in your living room and taking the stage as a professional, as there is nowhere to get out and practice performing live. We wanted to harness the power of the arts to improve mental health too and it seems to be working” Everyone is welcome to join - as long as you love the arts then you'll enjoy the Sunday evenings at Community Stage. |
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Tanya Just Knows.... A Volunteering Story |
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“Tanya just knows exactly what I need” says Lyndsey, who has been supported by Nantwich Buddy Tanya since early 2021.When she was in her forties, living a full and independent life, Lyndsey was struck down with a rare hormone disorder which changed her life forever. Read how Lyndsey has been supported by Nantwich Buddies and Tanya since the Covid-19 pandemic struck and how their wonderful friendship has developed. The benefits of volunteering can be huge. It offers vital help to people in need and worthwhile causes but the benefits can be even greater for the volunteer. The right match can help find friends, connect with the community and learn new skills. Giving to others can also help protect mental and physical health. It can reduce stress, combat depression and provide a sense of purpose - if you've got some spare time - why not give it a go! |
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Although Christmas is a distant memory, we thought it worth mentioning the huge achievement of Nantwich Buddy Carmel in raising over £1,000 for the Nantwich Foodbank last year by making Christmas toys and decorations. One of the decorations, nicknamed by the Buddies the ‘Nantwich Angel’ caught their imagination and another eight buddies joined Carmel in making them to sell to friends and family to raise much-needed funds for local good causes.
Carmel also demonstrated how to make the Nantwich Angels at the Christmas meeting of the Happiness Hub and Nantwich Buddies supported Carmel and the Nantwich Angels by contributing to the cost of the materials.
Nantwich Buddies have also supported the Neuromuscular Centre in Winsford where a donation of £100 was made by a lady we’ve supported for eighteen months. We have provided different types of help, including befriending, helping to unpack after a house move and small DIY jobs around her house. To show her appreciation, she made a donation of £100, in the name of Nantwich Buddies, to the centre in Winsford where she receives regular treatment. A great result all round! |
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