Charnwood has a wide range of extended schools services available to its residents. All parents and children from all Charnwood schools have access to a wide variety of services. These include:
· information regarding childcare
· various parenting support services
· activities after school for children
· community facilities, and;
· access to specialist services.

For further information, please contact Rachel Hughes Tel: 01509 234887

Shepshed Toy Library recently received a donation of £2000 from the Helen Jean Cope Trust to buy a new carpet for the Toy Library play room. During the summer holidays a team of volunteers gathered together to repaint the room beforehand and make it look much more inviting.

The carpet was fitted by N Berwick Contract Flooring and, as can be seen from the picture, all the children are enjoying the new-look room during a free-taster session by Jo Jingles.

New members are always welcome at the Toy Library; there is a one-off joining fee of £2 and toys are 50p per item to borrow for a month.

Story sacks are available for £1.50 per month, as well as DVD's, books, games ride-on toys and trampolines. Set your child's party off with a bounce - with our special Party Rate - Pay a £10 security fee and hire up to 12 items at 50p per item.

Visit the Toy Library on Hind Leys College Campus, Forest St Shepshed, during any of the sessions and you'll be most welcome. There is also a craft shop and refreshments are always available. Opening times are: Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning 9.30-12 and the last Thursday evening of each month during term time.

Rachel J Boneham

Our children and young people’s services are open to all aged 4 to 18, who have a family member with cancer in Leicestershire and Rutland.

We provide support, guidance, friendship information and emotional support by trained youth workers and volunteers.

For children and young people who have a family member with a cancer diagnosis, it can appear at times, that they go unrecognised and that the family are focusing on the patient, many can feel isolated, forgotten and alone.

Our children and young people’s services aim to help improve their outlook on life, give them opportunities to feel valued, respected and to do things that they may not have the opportunity to do. They can be with children and young people who identify with them, a chance to meet new friends and share thoughts, ideas and offer each other support.

For these children it’s not a luxury, It’s a vital link away from a life most of us would find intolerable. Coping With Cancer can give them a few hours of much needed freedom and fun, a glimpse of a better world and perhaps a brighter future.

There are many other support groups and services that take place at the Helen Webb House, for anyone affected by a cancer diagnosis in Leicestershire and Rutland.

For more information on any of these, please feel free to contact Chaz Ram, Services Co-ordinator for Children and Young People, on 0116 223 0055 or
childrenandyoungpeople@c-w-c.org.uk www.c-w-c.org.uk

Have you thought about getting involved in Leicester’s Hospitals? By becoming a member you have a voice and can help make improvements across our services. We currently have over 10,000 public members, and are always looking for more interested local people to work with us.

The most important thing to remember is that membership is free. You can get involved as little or as much as you want - you tell us how you want to help.

Members enjoy exclusive membership to NHS discounts where you can find huge savings on top brands. You will also be invited to regular members’ events, including monthly ‘medicine for members’ talks, ‘well-being fairs’ and our annual public meeting.

Our young members (16-25) can achieve certificates of attendance, which may be useful for those looking for a career in health in the future. We also facilitate work experience wherever possible and of course NHS discounts is of particular interest to our young members.

To become a member, or find out more, please contact Andrea Clark, Foundation Trust Membership Manager on 0116 258 8685 or on our website, details below.

Our future Medicine for Members events
21st January ‘how to spot childhood cancers early’.

25th ‘March ‘asthma and respiratory disease in children’.

May 2009 ‘keep children safe in the sun’.

All talks will take place at Glenfield hospital clinical education centre from 6pm-8pm.

To book a place, please call Andrea Clark on 0116 258 8685 or Paula Taylor on 0116 250 2730

More talks are planned for 2009. The full timetable will soon be published on our website www.uhl-tr.nhs.uk/members

In spite of being open since 1992, The Cookery Luncheon Club held at the Elim Church Centre, Ashby Road had a first during the month of October. On the 13th, under the leadership of Jean Nowell, the staff organised a surprise birthday party for Mary Oliver who was celebrating her 100th birthday.

The school room, where the luncheon club meets, was done up with balloons and streamers. The tables were nicely decorated and another table was set up with the specially baked ‘100th’ birthday cake plus cards, gifts and flowers. The man from the Echo took some photographs which later appeared in the paper. Everybody had a really good time and took the opportunity to congratulate Mary on her achievement.

Mary is a regular attender at the luncheon club and appreciated being able to celebrate her birthday with all her friends. Paul Stevens, the minister, rather tongue-in-cheek made the promise that anybody else who reached 100 and was a regular attender would be treated just as well. The luncheon club meets every Monday and Friday at 12 Noon.

Paul Stevens can be reached on 01509 234306 any morning between 9.30am and 1pm or leave a message any other time.

By Paul Stevens

The Big Knitting Group has now moved from Charnwood Museum as we became too big for the room. We are now meeting at the United Reformed Church on Frederick Street, which is a minutes walk from Charnwood Museum.

People of all ages and abilities are welcome to join the group. We have four great volunteers with a wealth of knitting knowledge between them. So whatever experience you have come along as a volunteer knitting advisor or as a complete beginner.

The group started during the knit a sock for the Sockman project and always have a group project on the go. The current one being knitted 3D picture collages, each member of the group making a different element. Past projects have included a group blanket using intarsia techniques and a knitted picnic complete with fruit, sandwiches, cakes and Cornish pasties.

The sessions are still free although we do now have to pay for the room. Donations are welcome towards these new costs.

The group meets on a Thursday from 12.30- 2.30pm.

We also welcome donations of wool and other knitting materials including knitting dollies and peg looms.

The group is supported and coordinated by Charnwood Arts.

For any more information please ring Jemma Bagley at Charnwood Arts 01509 821035 jemmab@charnwood-arts.org.uk

By Mary Morgan

Just to give Charnword contributors/readers advance notice that the next Charnword, our quarterly newsletter (due out in November), will be delayed until early December '08.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

By this time, we will be in a position to report on the outcome of the tender and the future delivery of County-wide Infrastructure services (capacity building to voluntary and community sector organisations/groups and volunteering).

Please send articles concerning the voluntary and community sector in Charnwood (275 words max), photographs, notices and events etc. to cath.walker@voluntaryactioncharnwood.org.uk for this edition by November 14th and space permitting it will be included.

Abby Heath is the new vinvolved team member for Charnwood and Melton, which is part of v’s National Youth Volunteering Programme.

You may already know about v, the youth volunteering charity, who are committed to increasing the quality, quantity and diversity of volunteering opportunities for young people aged 16-25.

Abby's role as a Youth Volunteer Advisor is to help you find volunteering opportunities which map your interests and passions, and build on your skills. Abby will support your voluntary work, and help you get the recognition and accreditation you deserve for your time and effort you give.

This is obtained through v Awards, by logging your hours spent and getting them signed off by the v team, you can also work towards a v50 certificate, officially recognising the valuable time you have spent helping others.

So, if you want to HAVE FUN, MAKE FRIENDS, LEARN NEW SKILLS, DO SOMETHING POSITIVE, GET RECOGNITION, get involved with vinvolved.

If you are a group of young people and need funding for a volunteering project in your community, Abby can talk to you about vcashpoint where you can get your hands on up to £2,500 to turn your dreams into a reality.

Right now we're also looking for enthusiastic, energetic volunteers who want to be part of the local Youth Action Team. This team of young people will help to develop and influence the future of youth volunteering, as well as ideas about opportunities and local issues. This is a unique opportunity to have your voice heard and have a real impact on volunteering in your area.

Interested? Please contact Abby Heath, Youth Volunteer Advisor at Voluntary Action South Leicestershire on 01858 432 014 or email aheath@vasl.org.uk

For more information about v check out the website www.vinspired.com

Community empowerment is the central theme of the White paper Communities in control: real people, real power published July 9th. The aims are to:
· pass power into the hands of local communities

· generate local democracy in every part of the country

· give real control over local decisions and services to a wider pool of active citizens

· shift power, influence and responibility away from existing centres of power, into the hands of communities and individual citizens.

The third sector - through charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises - has much to offer from its traditions of purposeful altruism and selfless volunteering. Unleashing genius and talent - "empowering citizens and communities is an urgent task for us all.

"This is not about making people sit in meetings on wet Tuesday nights, it is about helping citizens to get involved when they want to on their own terms - paving the way for a new style of active politics that not only gives people a greater say but ensures that their voices are heard and that their views will make a difference." Gordon Brown, Prime Minister

"With the right support, guidance and advice, community groups and organisations have a huge, largely latent, capacity for self-government and self-organisation. This should be the hallmark of the modern state: devolved, decentralised, with power diffused throughout our society." Hazel Blears, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

There are 7 chapters:
· active citizenship and volunteering
· access to Information
· influence
· challenging authority
· redress
· standing for office
· ownership and control.

for more information log on to www.communities.gov.uk

As we go to press, I am working hard on tenders for the Local Involvement Network and Countywide Infrastructure Organisation to support the VCS in Leicestershire.

These are being developed jointly with North West Leicestershire CVS as bids to Leicestershire County Council via ESPO. If successful we will be expanding the services we offer to reach out further around the county. If we are not successful, we shall be reducing in size and scope from April 2009.

By Neil Lambert

Groups and organisations are contacting Vicci for her support, due to the recognition that PQASSO, a quality assurance system, now has in the voluntary sector.

PQASSO is a self-assessment tool that provides a step-by-step approach, which enables groups and organisations to look at what they are doing well and what can be improved. Quality standards, such as PQASSO, offer groups the opportunity to demonstrate the value and quality of their work and places them in a good position to receive funding and move forward.

The 3rd edition of PQASSO has been launched, which has a sharper focus on outcomes and impact and also links into the newly developed PQASSO quality mark, accrediting the voluntary and community sector, which in turn will give potential funders the confidence to fund your organisation.

Vicci can be contacted on 01509 631787 or vicci.barrett@voluntaryactioncharnwood.org.uk

By Vicci Barrett