Voluntary Action Charnwood’s Well-being Service based at John Storer House in Loughborough runs 3 Well-being Support Groups which meet monthly in Charnwood. Anyone with a concern for their personal well-being is welcome to attend, for example carers and former carers, people with disabilities and people living alone.

The groups are informal and friendly and enjoy a range of speakers on a variety of health, information and rights, personal safety and other more light-hearted topics of interest. There are occasional trips, a Christmas Lunch and most importantly, plenty of time to talk and share experiences.

Meeting times and dates are as follows with each member attending makes a £1 donation towards room hire and refreshments:

Loughborough Group – meets on the 1st Thursday of each month from 1.30pm – 3.30pm at John Storer House.

Shepshed Group – meets on the 3rd Thursday of each month from 2pm – 4pm at the Charnwood Road Community Centre.

Sileby and District Group – meets on the last Thursday of each month from 12.30pm at the Boat House, Barrow On Soar. The group have lunch first.

For further information or if you’d like to attend any of the groups, please contact Joanne Clarke tel: 01509 631782 or e-mail joanne.clarke@voluntaryactioncharnwood.org.uk

We are holding a Celebration of Christmas on Thursday, 15 December 2011. Come and join in the fun from 10 am - 2 pm.

Local choirs
Festive Food
Sing a long carols
Shop @ JSH
Handicrafts stall
Tombola

Cafe at JSH is extending its Saturday opening until 2 pm on Saturday, 10th and 17th ....Take a break from your Christmas shopping and pop in to JSH for breakfast or lunch.

Christmas Carol Service on Wednesday, 21 December at noon led by Rev Keith Elliott

Cafe @ JSH Shoppers Lunch on Thursday, 22 December on £5.00

Shop local at JSH for lovely Christmas crafts and gifts. Shop open Monday - Saturday 10 am till 1 pm.

Do call in soon

On Wednesday, 16 November 2011 Voluntary Action Charnwood and John Storer House Foundation held their joint AGM at JSH.

The meeting followed on from the successful opening of the Shop @ JSH. The AGM was attended by Nicky Morgan MP who had spoken about the significant government capital investment in the roof and revenue transition funding to help sustain JSH.

The Chair of the Joint Board of Trustees, Sandy Leong, and the Chair of Trustees of the John Storer House Foundation, Sue Frost, spoke of the challenging times ahead for the house in the difficult economic climate.

This was followed by an entertaining presentation by Dr Jill Vincent about her year as Mayor of 'Vibrant Charnwood' accompanied by a very entertaining slide show.

The Club Room of JSH was the venue for the popular annual ‘Feast of Faiths’ organised by Loughborough Council of Faiths held at JSH on Tuesday, 22 November 2010 as members of faiths throughout Charnwood joined the celebration.

Mark Graham, Chair of Loughborough Council of Faiths, welcomed everyone to the event which was also attended by the Mayor of Charnwood, Cllr Bernard Burr.

There was something to appeal to all tastes at the Feast as a wide range of foods were served during the event to cater for all faiths in attendance including halal and vegetarian food, fruits and nuts and jacket potatoes and salad.

The guests of all ages were encouraged to join together to complete a quiz.

If you are interested in attending the event next year or for more information please contact Neil Lambert, Chief Executive VAC

neil.lambert@voluntaryactioncharnwood.org.uk

or phone on 01509 631750.

Please click on the link below to read our press release for the shop opening.

The Mayor of Charnwood opening Shop @ JSH by cutting the ribbon.

Our 2011 Joint Voluntary Action Charnwood and John Storer House Foundation AGM will take place at 7.30 pm at John Storer House on Wednesday, 16 November 2011.

6 pm Reception

7 pm Formal Opening of Shop @ JSH

7.30 pm AGM

At 6 pm a Reception for guests will be held in the new Café @ JSH

All Members of VAC (organisations and individuals) and ‘Friends of JSH’
plus statutory representatives and members of the public are welcome to
drop-in and see what we have to offer, explore how we can meet your
needs and taste samples from our new Café menu.

During this time we hope to see our Members of VAC and recruit some
new members and ‘Friends of JSH’ and ask them to attend the AGM.

The former Mayor of Charnwood, Dr Jill Vincent, will be the guest speaker
for our AGM, reflecting on her year in ‘Vibrant Charnwood’.

A Celebration marking the first year of the Charnwood VCS Forum will take place on Tuesday, 6 December 2011 at 9.30 am at Gorse Covert Community Centre, Maxwell Drive, Loughborough.

Please click on the link to read the minutes of the last forum in September. For further information please visit the Voluntary Action Charnwood website (Forums and Partnerships page).

The speakers will be Cllr Jane Hunt (Assistant to Nicky Morgan, MP) on national views, Cllr David Snartt (CBC Cabinet Lead) on local government views and Vicky Dawson (Chair of Warwick Way Action Group, WAGS, based at the Altogether Place) on local resident views.

There will also be input from Voluntary Action LeicesterShire (VAL) and Voluntary Action Charnwood (VAC) with plenty of opportunity for questions, discussion and sharing information.

To book on please contact Peggy Nicholls on 01509 220 572 or email peggy@bridgehousingservices.com

Everyone welcome.

Everyone is welcome at the Grand Opening of the Cafe @ JSH on Saturday, 17 September 2011 from 10 am until noon at John Storer House.

We will be joined by local celebrity David Neilson who plays Roy Cropper in Coronation Street. He will cut the celebratory cake at 11 am and spend the morning with us. There will be free coffee and cake with our voucher along with plenty of opportunity for photos and autographs.

We look forward to seeing everyone!

The next meeting of the Charnwood Voluntary & Community Sector Forum will take on Thursday, 15 September at Newtown Linford Village Hall at 12.30 pm for 1 pm start (finish by 3 pm).

All local VCS organisations, large or small, are encouraged to come along and help provide a voice for the sector in Charnwood. We are very keen to make this Forum member led as we believe it is about your Vision, your Community and your Say on issues that are important to you.

For further information or to book a place on the September Forum please contact Neil Lambert
neil.lambert@voluntaryactioncharnwood.org.uk or
fax 01509-631751 or
leave a telephone message on 01509-631750