NEVILL GOOD NEIGHBOURS 

It has been an exciting and busy year. We began with our launch in May where volunteers, residents and committee members joined together for the first time to celebrate the start of the venture and share ideas for its future. 

After general introductions and a brief description of how the project came into being, Elsie (our first neighbour to ask for help) was invited to cut a delicious cake to mark the official opening and she took the opportunity to praise the scheme and recommend its services. Everyone enjoyed a glass or two and a few nibbles, a chance to meet and get to know one another and …….. we were off!

TRAINING AND SUPPORT 

AIRS (Action in Rural Sussex) arranged regular network meetings for all the local good neighbour schemes and we benefited from DBS online training, carrying out risk assessments, dementia awareness, scams awareness, the recruiting of volunteers and the shared experiences of other groups. 3VA (a group that supports voluntary and community projects in Lewes) were also available for advice, including tips on finding funds.

VOLUNTEERS and HELPED NEIGHBOURS

We held a social evening for volunteers in October and several good ideas were suggested: putting flyers in surgeries, pharmacies and shops; contacting the Parents’ Association at Wallands School; and promoting ourselves at NJBS badge night. One volunteer offered computer help – thank you William – and another offered to take on publicity – thank you Kate. A cake and games event was suggested for January but this did not happen, largely due to the bitter weather. 

For info: DBS checks are now done online by Mike and Penny.

Thank you Felicity-Ann for your continued support of all volunteers and for registering everyone from the very start, both neighbours seeking support and neighbours wishing to volunteer. 

Call outs to date: a total of this year’s calls and their make up will be given by our current phone holder.

COMMUNICATION

We now have an excellent website, regularly updated, with lots of very positive, personal recommendations. There is now an email address to enable people to contact us in a variety of ways: thank you Mike. The donation of a simple Smartphone has brought our phone up to date: thank you John.

We are indebted to our secretary who writes excellent minutes for every meeting and keeps us organised: thank you Sue.

PUBLICITY

For the second year running we ran a stall at the Extravaganza on Nevill Green, on the 8th July, and this attracted several more volunteers. We greatly appreciated the support of Daphne Wyatt who loaned us her gazebo to protect us from the vagaries of the British weather.

The NRA have included updates in several editions of their newsletter and we have had coverage in the ‘Village Voice’ section of the Sussex Express.

Posters were put up on lampposts and at bus stops on the estate, providing contact details of the scheme. These have recently been replaced with laminated flyers.

We were delighted to be featured in December’s edition of VIVA LEWES ‘Charity Box’ where the scheme was clearly explained and shared Lewes wide.

Part way through the year we distributed flyers and raised our profile online: thank you again Kate.

A batch of fridge magnets based on the flyer design have been ordered and will shortly be piloted in an area of the estate: thank you Frances.

FUNDING

We received funding from the Waitrose green token scheme, details to be found in our Treasurer’s Report: thank you Simmy.