Author: Andrew Taylor

THE Royal Voluntary Service (formerly WRVS) is calling on local residents to dedicate a couple of hours a week to helping older people in their community.

The charity’s Community Meals on Wheels service provides older and housebound residents with much more than a hot meal; the service is a source of vital social contact for people who might not otherwise see anyone else from one week to the next. Royal Voluntary Service volunteers also perform ‘safe and well’ checks to make sure the older people who use the service have everything they need to stay safe, healthy and independent in their own homes.

David McCullough, Royal Voluntary Service Chief Executive, said: “This is a really vital service for older people in the community. Taking someone to the shops or having a chat may not seem like much, but it makes a massive difference to the older people who use the service. Our volunteers are fantastic and really enjoy what they do: they get as much out of volunteering as they put in, but we always need more helpers to meet the growing demand for the service, especially at this time of year.”

Volunteers can choose to dedicate as much or as little time to volunteering as they are able. To find out more about the service, contact the charity on 0845 600 5885 (quoting West Sussex) or visit www.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk/westsussex.

Royal Voluntary Service supports over 100,000 older people each month with tailor-made solutions to help them stay independent in their own homes. Through its army of 40,000 national volunteers, the charity runs services such as Good Neighbours (companionship), Community Meals-on-Wheels and Books-on-Wheels to alleviate loneliness and help older people generally. Royal Voluntary Service also provides practical support for older people who have been in hospital through its On Ward Befriending and Home from Hospital services.

* For more information contact Ruth Taylor on ruth.taylor@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk or ring her on 07714 898574.

• Formerly known as the WRVS, Royal Voluntary Service has been helping people in Britain for 75 years.
• Originally set up as the Women’s Voluntary Service in 1938, the charity played a crucial role during the Second World War.
• Whilst keeping the same values of community service, Royal Voluntary Service has now focused its work on helping older people to remain independent and get more out of life.
• Royal Voluntary Service is one of the largest voluntary organisations in Britain with 40,000 men and women helping people in their homes, the community, hospitals and in emergencies.
• The charity is a founding member of the Campaign to End Loneliness, a partner in the Big Lottery funded project, Shaping our Age, a supporter of the Malnutrition Task Force and a member of the Care and Support Alliance, the Falls and Fractures Alliance, Age Action Alliance and the Dementia Action Alliance.
• Royal Voluntary Service has Investing in Volunteers status in recognition of its good practice and effective volunteer management.
• For more information on the Royal Voluntary Service please visit www.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk

Sunday is traditionally a time for family and friends to get together, share a meal and talk but sadly, many older people don’t get that opportunity.

One million people over 65 say that Sunday is the loneliest day of the week.

Big Sunday Lunch brings people together to share good times and a good meal together. So why not have your own Big Sunday Lunch, by hosting a meal with your loved ones to raise money to support older people and help bring an end to loneliness.

Whether you have a classic Sunday lunch with all the trimmings or something with a twist, everyone can get involved, so why not invite an older neighbour or relative to join in the fun!

We’ll be holding our own Big Sunday Lunches across the country – Our lunch clubs, Meals on Wheels and community centres will be inviting friends and families, sponsors and partners along to enjoy a Big Sunday Lunch with us. We’ll be asking our guests to donate what they usually spend on a meal out so that we can raise money to provide more local services that will help to prevent loneliness for many older people.

THE town centre flower beds will be planted in red, white and blue this year to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the start of WW1.

Under the umbrella title Fields of Conflict, the beds will commemorate symbols of war, the VC, The Sussex Regiment and the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Flowers baskets in red and white will symbolise blood and bandages.

There will also be more hanging baskets around the town in the coming summer, with 224 baskets compared to the 215 hung last year.

And the residents of Railway Approach have been asked to do their bit to brighten up the entrance road from the station into the town centre with their own displays and window baskets, which will be supplemented with six new poles bearing three-tiered mounted arrangements and six hanging baskets mounted on lamp posts.

The recent appalling weather caused the power supply to the town clock to trip out on several occasions this winter, but the problem has now been resolved and councillors are to decide whether planters around the base of the brick tower would enhance its role as a ‘gateway’ into East Grinstead.

TOWN resident Malcolm Green has brought back the bric a brac sales which were a popular feature at the parish halls before they moved temporarily to Sackville school.

Now comfortably rehomed in the Alfred Wagg studio at Chequer Mead, the fairs feature coins, stamps, postcards and other collectibles and are the only such events held between London and the south coast.

The next market will be on 19 March from 10am until 3pm.

GAL has announced a new noise insulation scheme for residential properties around Gatwick Airport which will be launched on 1 April 2014.

The new scheme will be more generous and will benefit a further 869 homes. The scheme boundary which has been extended 15km to both the east and west of the airport has been drawn flexibly to ensure entire roads and villages are included so everyone in one area can apply for insulation. It also takes into account the increased sensitivity people have towards noise levels as well as the frequency of how many times they might be overflown.

For more information see GAL’s website at www.gatwickairport.com/business-community/aircraft-noise/consultations-and-schemes/noise-insulation-scheme/