The Meeting Place

A place for all, Time for all

TELEPHONE

BEFRIENDING SERVICE

A new Befriending Service for people over 65 living in Bookham and the surrounding area is now available.

l Do you feel lonely and would like to receive regular telephone calls? l Do you know someone who feels lonely? l Our volunteers are being trained to support people. l One to one contact for those who are lonely or isolated.

For more information or to make a referral please contact: Tel: 07596 837063

email: jane.bellingham@eastwickroadchurch.co.uk

Further information can also be found on our website www.themeetingplace.org.uk

Registered charity number 1192001 Company limited by guarantee Reg No. 781747

THE MEETING PLACE

Our new Telephone Befriending Service offered to older people in Bookham and the surrounding area who feel lonely or isolated is beginning to receive referrals. It is important to us that we link these referrals to one of our trained volunteers who might have similar interests. If you or anyone you know would benefit from this one to one contact which in time could be face to face do contact us on 07596 837063 or email jane.bellingham@eastwickroadchurch.co.uk It is wonderful that the vaccine against covid has been rolled out to so many people but of course there are still those isolating and those affected financially by job loss. The Community Fridge still delivers around 150 bags a week and thanks to a grant from one of the leading supermarkets were able to deliver some special extras at Easter. There is a Help Yourself table at the front of the Youth Centre on Saturday mornings from 11am-12noon. Our band of volunteers are so hard working ensuring that not only is this a lifeline to many but it also prevents food from going to landfill.

Our Language hub for those for whom English is not their first language and our Lipreading for people who are very hard of hearing are continuing on zoom until such time as we are able to meet in person. We keep in touch by phone with many of our regulars who are looking forward to the Coffee Shop reopening, which we hope will be in early summer. For more information see our website www.themeetingplace.org.uk

Lucy of Buy to Let Hunter interviews a local entrepreneur

Buy To Let Hunter is a fresh approach to property purchase – we recently sat down with one of our early investors to catch up with him:

Raffi is a local business owner doing a great thing for the world - he arrived in Richmond with enough money for just 8 months. He followed a hunch and set up Bantam Materials - providing Prevented Ocean Plastic, recycling and collecting from at-risk coastal communities and creating a research centre on the Richmond Green – we think he is marvellous, and we are not the only ones! He just won: “Sustainable Initiative of The Year”. Whoop! Raffi realised that he wanted to invest in property but preferred a professionally managed structure run by trustworthy people to allow him the freedom to focus on the craziness in his own world. Raffi approached us and asked us to help. Through Buy To Let Hunter, Raffi has purchased a pure investment property and a holiday home which he uses in conjunction with renting it out to paying guests. Raffi says: “For me there wasn’t a second choice when I met the Buy To Let Hunter team. It was about working with someone trustworthy and when speaking to one of the directors, a local guy, it was clear he was someone I could trust. I didn’t need to look any further. And my expectation has been more than met.” Obviously investing in anything is risky, but understanding that, Raffi feels he has enhanced his lifestyle greatly. He has a free holiday home that pays for itself, in fact it pays Raffi just to own it!!

Raffi says: “My kids have a pool, access to nature, the cottage overlooks a lake… And it’s just an hour and a half from London.”

“It’s absolutely no hassle.... The team at BTLH do absolutely everything, checking in guests, housekeeping, making sure everything is perfect for my family and visitors. I just turn up. Oh, and cash the cheques! In fact it makes me a Gross yield 12% - £52,000 annually” “And I had no doubt I could trust Adrian after I met him. The single biggest thing is that my interests were ahead of their company profit. So, I feel I can really trust the advice.” We do love a happy punter! If you think we might be able to enhance your life in the way we have for Raffi, please give us a call 020 7550 9396 or hello@buytolethunter.com. For more information check out www.buytolethunter.com Quadrant Road, Richmond, London, TW9 1DH