Nexus may 2018

NEWS FROM THE HAMPSHIRE CVS NETWORK 

Action Hampshire

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I S S U E

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Basingstoke Voluntary Action

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Communities First Wessex

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Community First New Forest

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Gosport Voluntary Action

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Hart Voluntary Action

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One Community

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Rushmoor Voluntary Services

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Unity

CONTENTS Tree hugging in the new Forest— p2 Community Cinema in Leigh Park—p2 Rushmoor gets involved—p3

One Community gets eventing—p3 Unity gets into retail—p4 Talking volunteering at St Vincent College— p4

Young Carers Get Rewilded One Community’s Young Carers Project has been trialling a new type of therapeutic activity, thanks to a £500 donation from Curves Gym in Eastleigh.

Twenty-five young carers were invited to step into the woods to reconnect with nature.

The group spanned the ages 8 to 18, and all took something special away from the day to help them cope in day to day life.

The group was facilitated

by Eastleigh Young Carers Activities Coordinator and Rewilding Eco Therapist, Kay Burton, who said: “Rewilding is something we have wanted to introduce to our vulnerable young carers for some time. In an era of austerity, it is important we can emotionally support our young carers, but also teach them ways to take care of their own emotional health. It is the perfect combination of being active, both physically and mentally, which has been shown to improve wellbeing.”

Rewilding is an up and coming concept that encourages participants to reconnect with nature and renew their energy through channelling that of the natural environment. It provides time and space away from humdrum daily life, and the technology that comes with that. It is reconnecting with primal instincts through a variety of meditation, mindfulness, art and music.

The children in attendance were a little sceptical at first, but after a Produced by Hampshire Councils for Voluntary Service, who would be delighted to have your feedback. Please contact Julia Allan 023 8090 2457 jallan@1community.org.uk Featured articles represent the views of the contributing CVS

Stopping to hug the tree was a great way to introduce a natural break to the walk and gave everyone the chance to chat and have a bit of a laugh; all for fun and to recognise that they have a tree that is over 400 hundred years old.

There are 11 Healthy Walks in the New Forest area and last year Community First New Forest’s walkers turned out 5,200 times to walk, talk and enjoy their beautiful area.

Leigh Park Community Centre Opens New Community Cinema

Paul with his gifts

thorough “forest bathe” (walking through the woods in silence listening to the sounds and using all your senses to tune into the woodland) they were hooked. Young Carers’ comments included: “I had such an amazing time today, it was a fun experience, and I learnt a lot” and: “It made me feel really relaxed and comfortable in my own skin.

Eastleigh Young Carers is like its own little family.”

Things People Do on Healthy Walks

A recent recruit to Community First New Forest’s Healthy Walks said: “When they said come along and join us for a Healthy Walk I had no idea I would be tree hugging!”

The Fordingbridge walk passes through a quiet cul de sac with a beautiful old oak tree in the middle of a grassed centre. As you can see from the photo, it is a rather large specimen.

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After years of hearing the wonderful stories and fond memories of the Leigh Park Community Centre Film Club, Community First is delighted to be able to bring a new and fresh Community Paul with TimtoHoughton Cinema back the Leigh Park community. wishingThanks him well to a generous donation from a local Trust, Community First has been able to purchase high quality cinema equipment to offer affordable film events to the local community.

This exciting new venture kicks off with a Grand Opening on 30 May including ribbon cutting by the Mayor of Havant, a reception offering free refreshments, and the inaugural film show featuring a certain forgetful fish searching for her family!

Tickets include all of this plus a goody bag, and a raffle entry to win a VIP experience to the Grand Opening, lots of fishy goodies and a family ticket to the Blue Reef Aquarium in Portsmouth.

Tim Houghton, Chief Executive of Community First, said: ”We have listened to what Leigh Park residents have told us they would like from their Community Centre and we hope that this brilliant new Community Cinema will bring people and families together to enjoy film and have a great time. We are very grateful to the local Trust that has made this possible, and the Blue Reef Aquarium, Tesco and local Leigh Park businesses that have supported us to make film events extra special for everyone.”

Rushmoor ‘Get Involved’ Volunteer Fair

local groups were pleased to be able to raise awareness of the services they offer.”

The fair will be in Farnborough town centre on Saturday 16 June 2018 from 10am to 3pm. The regular Craft Fayre will also be taking place.

The Eventing Season

Jointly organised by Rushmoor Voluntary Services and Rushmoor Borough Council, the Get Involved Fair is a chance for voluntary organisations, community groups, clubs and societies to raise the profile of the fantastic work they do in Farnborough and Aldershot.

Visitors will be able to come along and talk to representatives from the organisations, find out how they can get involved in volunteering, and also learn more about the help these organisations can offer to local people.

Greg Alexander, CEO of Rushmoor Voluntary Services said, “The Get Involved Fair is a great opportunity for people to find out more about becoming a volunteer and to see just how much help and support is available to residents.

We have around 30 organisations signed up to attend. People will also have the opportunity to find out more about Connect to Support, the new on-line resource from Hampshire County Council.

“The Connect to Support website has practical information and advice for people who want to go on living in their own home.

This is the second Fair. In Aldershot last year, many new volunteers were recruited and

The programme of community events kicked off in style for One Community, with their big blue gazebo up bright and early on a swelteringly hot Bank Holiday Monday at the Fryern Funtasia in Chandlers Ford, a popular annual event attracting crowds of over 4,000 people. One Community staff were kept very busy chatting to nearly 300 visitors on the day.

Sunday 13 May saw the gazebo up again at Leigh Road Recreation Ground in Eastleigh for the WI Festival - celebrating 100 years of the Women’s Institute in Hampshire, with 70 groups in attendance and a massive tea tent adorned with bunting. Once again, One Community staff were kept busy chatting to visitors and enjoying another sunny day.

Chief Executive at One Community, Jean Roberts-Jones said: “We like to be involved in the landmark events of community life, both to show our support and to engage with people across our patch. We speak to thousands of people in this way, so we get to know them and they get to recognise us. We see many of our friends, supporters, service users and partners and always enjoy the chance of a chat.”

Other big events One Community attends include the Eastleigh Mela, the Pumpkin Festival and Christmas in Eastleigh - but there will be many more!

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Unity - Retail and Volunteering In recent weeks, Unity - Putting Unity in the Community - has promoted a fortnight of fun and frolics with volunteers and staff who were busy selling donated items in the Rotations Charity Shop, Whitchurch. This was the first time Unity (previously known as Test Valley Community Services) has booked the use of the shop as a way to fundraise.

During the two weeks, Unity received a great deal of positive feedback from local residents in Whitchurch who were pleased not only with the quality of items for sale but the friendly way that the volunteers and staff dealt with the customers.

Unity is very grateful to all those people who donated items to sell, to the Rotations Charity Shop, Whitchurch who kindly agreed to “host” Unity for two weeks and to the Simply Health Volunteers, Unity Volunteers and Trustees and the staff who worked to make it a successful endeavour.

Organiser, Dawn Elson, Unity Voluntary Sector Support Manager said, “This fortnight has been great fun, not only as a team building exercise but also as a fundraiser for the charity, although it has been hard work!”

Unity is delighted to confirm that over £3,000 was raised during the two-week period and the money will be used to help people who may be suffering with loneliness or isolation in the local community.

St Vincent College Apprenticeship, Employment and Volunteering Fair Gosport Voluntary Action attended the Apprenticeship, Employment and Volunteering Fair at the Jervis Gallery within St Vincent College, to speak to students about the various benefits of volunteering, from developing skills to making a difference, and the wealth of opportunities available. The event was well attended and productive, and a great opportunity to engage with students and other organisations.

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