Volunteer Newsletter - February 2003

Welcome to the third Helping Hands Newsletter!

We would love to have your thoughts, suggestions or articles for future editions. Please contact 206456.

Sunday Teas

Our Channukah tea on Sunday 1st December at the Ralli Hall was a very enjoyable occasion. Entertainment was provided, the Channukah lights were lit and Mo-azur sung with great skill and enthusiasm by all.

Our tea on January 19th was also a great success despite the uncertain weather that week. Further teas are planned for March 2nd, 27th April and 15th June 2003 - all at the Mark Luck Hall.

Helping Hands Week

Helping Hands are organizing a Helping Hands week starting on February 8th 2003, the aim of which is to promote Helping Hands within the community both to future clients and prospective volunteers and also as a thank you from us to the community. There will be a 'Helping Hands' Shabbat held at all the local synagogues followed by a Kiddush (at the New Synagogue this will be held on 15th February). The week will also include a coffee morning on February 11th.

Volunteers and Guests Social

We are holding a tea party for our existing and new volunteers as a chance for us to say thank you and to get to know each other better. This will be held on Sunday March 9th from 3pm - 5pm.

Getting Sucked-In

Last Summer, having just finished a degree course and imagining I would now have heaps of time at my disposal, I answered an advert in SJN, offering to write articles for Helping Hands. These were to be placed in local Jewish publications to ensure that Helping Hands kept a high public profile in order to attract new volunteers and publicise its services to potential clients.

I find that I have gradually become more involved, to the extent that I am now a member of the Helping Hands Executive and assist with practical volunteering as and when my full-time job allows. I am happy to do this, not only because I believe that Helping Hands performs a vital function in our community but also because I am delighted to be working with such a cheerful and dedicated band of people. Was I sucked in? Probably - but I am extremely happy to have been so!

A dedicated volunteer

Cookery Corner

Every woman thinks that hers is the best chicken soup and I'm no exception - except…it was Thursday and I realised I had run out of my stock of frozen (home-made) chicken soup. The only chickens in my freezer were roasters and a packet of chicken wings in barbeque sauce. As the local shops are not exactly overflowing with kosher boilers I was starting to panic. Friday night without chicken soup is not Friday night. What to do?

Then I had a brainwave. I defrosted the wings, washed them and left them under running water for an hour. After a final rinse, when it looked as though every particle of the sauce was removed I made the soup. Daughter number three came in the kitchen, "What's cooking, Mum?" she said "Chicken soup" I replied. "Smells different" she says "It's your imagination" say I. Came Friday night, "Nice soup, Mum" says daughter number one, "tastes different". "It's your imagination" say I. Daughter number two is vegetarian but comments on the smell. The soup tasted good, but different although I have to admit it had a slightly smoky flavour (and I didn't imagine it!) Anyway, the proof of the pudding etc etc and the plates were emptied with relish.

Tip: for a lovely golden colour, when making chicken soup (whether with wings or a more conventional variety), dissolve a Telma beef cube in the soup before adding the vegetables.

A gastronomic volunteer

A Tribute to all Dedicated Carers

A helping hand
A caring heart
What better way to make a start
To help the folk who are in need
A worthy cause is this indeed

A friendly word
A cheery smile
Can lift the spirit in a while

To our volunteers three hearty cheers
Long may you continue
Good health - Good luck and
Thank you - Thank you - Thank you

A poetic volunteer

Tea Drivers

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all very much for your time given on the Sunday afternoons of our Teas which have become so popular. The ladies and gentlemen often comment on the wonderful people we have taking and picking them up.

For the next tea we would like to implement a one way system around the nursery building which we hope will make life easier both for the client getting in and out of the car and the drivers dropping off and picking up. May we ask those drivers who stay for the afternoon to park against the wall of the synagogue and not block the way through. We hope this will stop the blockage along the drive.

Thank you all once again.

Helping Hands is growing

With your help as volunteers, we will continue to go from strength to strength. We feel that it is very important for us all to be constantly aware of peoples needs within the community, and to see if there is any way in which we can help, either from within Helping Hands, or, if not, by finding someone who can.

With this in mind, we have 'tested the waters' and it is clear that there is a need for a 'sympathetic and listening ear' phone line, dedicated to the idea of just being a voice at the end of a phone, to listen and let people talk about whatever is on their mind.

This new venture will be a separate phone line in addition to the regular Helping Hands 747722, and will be answered by volunteers who have taken part in a series of learning and training programs, led by a qualified facilitator and therapist. These groups will be small to allow discussion and exchange of views to flow freely. We would like to arrange a very informal get together of interested people to chat over a cup of tea or coffee, and meet each other and our trainer, and see if we can get this project off the ground.

If you feel you have what it takes and would like to know more, please phone 747722 , we look forward to hearing from you.