Inspirational Eastleigh Volunteers Fair

Yesterday I visited Eastleigh Museum for the Volunteers Fair.

This was the third Volunteers Fair run by Volunteer Centre Eastleigh of One Community at Eastleigh Museum.

I left the museum totally inspired.

In this post, you’ll find the links to a few volunteering groups in Eastleigh and you can join the volunteers to improve our community. You’ll be contributing to good causes and discover positive energy around inspirational people.

Quick links to the charities at Volunteers Fair at Eastleigh Museum 17th January 2015:

• Eastleigh & District disability forum
• Eastleigh Good Neighbours
• Lions Club of Eastleigh
• Friends of Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
• Rotary Club of Chandler’s Ford & Itchen Valley
• Eastleigh Railway Preservation Society (ERPS)
• Eastleigh District Scouts

1) Eastleigh & District disability forum:

Eastleigh & District disability forum (EDDF): The group was founded in 2002 by a group of disabled people who wanted to make things better for local disabled people.

The forum meets on the last Friday of each month at the Wells Place Centre from 1.30pm to 3.30pm.

The access group has worked with the council in some big planning applications to prevent buildings being badly designed.

They have involved with the Swan Centre extension, the Hedge End Crematorium and the new lifts at Parkway Station.

One example was that Parkway Station, EDDF, and architects worked together to make the new steps well-lit, clearly marked, not too steep and have a good handrail on both sides.

EDDF is looking for a Treasurer.

For more information call Jenny on 023 8061 5027, or email Rachel at eddforum@hotmail.co.uk.
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2) Eastleigh Good Neighbours:

I met John Hinxman, and husband and wife David and Tracy, of Eastleigh Good Neighbours. They told me they help about 30 people a week in Eastleigh, and are desperate for drivers and gardeners.

John is a volunteer driver for Eastleigh Good Neighbours. He told me it is rewarding to help our elderly neighbours so that they are not isolated.

Every other Monday, John would drive a mini bus to pick up about 10 elderly people in Eastleigh to enjoy a special coffee morning at Eastleigh Museum. This is a precious coffee morning for those who live alone.

Which area is covered by Eastleigh Good Neighbours?

John told me that they cover “between the railway line and the motorway”.

To request their services, phone 023 8064 2420 or email eastleighgoodneighbours@hotmail.co.uk.

If you need help in Chandler’s Ford, please contact Chandler’s Ford Good Neighbours.
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3) Lions Club of Eastleigh:

Devan Kandiah and Cliff Paffett from Lions Club of Eastleigh had a fantastic display showing great community work.

Some of the projects that Eastleigh Lions support are:

• Eastleigh Basics Bank: Supporting individuals and families who are in financial crisis.
• Message in a Bottle: Placed in a fridge with medical details inside, this bottle assists paramedics in an emergency, like Medic-Alert.
• Spectrek – Glasses recycling scheme: This is a National Lions Annual Project – collecting redundant spectacles for refurbishment and then sending them to developing countries.

Lions Club of Eastleigh meets on the first Friday of the month at the Holiday Inn in Eastleigh, at 7.45pm for 8pm.

For more information, call 0845 833 7362.
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4) Friends of Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU):

Friends of PICU supports the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at Southampton General Hospital.

Every year, PICU looks after more than 900 critically ill children admitted from across the South Coast of England and the Channel Island.

I saw a cute elephant at the Friends of PICU desk and wanted to buy one. However the soft toy was not for sale as it is a special elephant.

Friends of PICU provides every child on PICU with an Elephant Cuddly Toy.

I asked the volunteers Rosie Mitchell and Mark Hilder why elephant was chosen as a gift. They told me “Because elephant never forgets”.

I found an interesting video clip (5 minutes) on Why elephants never forget, based on a TED talk by Alex Gendler.

The majority of the funds raised by Friends of PICU go towards buying the life-saving equipment that is not provided by the statutory authorities.

They also buy arts and crafts items for the children, socks to keep small feet (and hands) warm and portable DVD players for the older children.

For more information, contact: volunteers@friendsofpicu.org.uk.
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5) Rotary Club of Chandler’s Ford & Itchen Valley:

At the table of Rotary Club of Chandlers Ford & Itchen Valley, Mike Scrivener, Elizabeth Hill and Ian Phillips also explained various local and international activities that they do.

“Want to make a change?” You can join as a full member, or being a Rotary Supporter and helping them from time to time.

Their events requiring volunteers include:

• Race night (March)
• Itchen Way Walk (7th June 2015)
• Shoebox (Christmas presents sent to children worldwide) (November)
• Monthly groups: Arthritis Care and Chandler’s Ford Stroke Group
• Disaster appeals

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6) Eastleigh Railway Preservation Society:

Derek Doling and Neil Kearns from Eastleigh Railway Preservation Society encourage you to participate with refurbishing the Maunsell S15 class locomotive No. E828 at the Mid Hants Railway – Ropley Motive Power Depot.

There is a sizeable restoration team ably led by the CME Malcolm Tomlin.

Alternatively there is a tandem group, local to Eastleigh that participates in fundraising activities including production of the unique railway themed journal Steam-On, edited and published by Derek Doling on behalf of ERPS.

About E828 “Harry A Frith”

Named in honour of Harry A Frith, the retired Eastleigh Works Erecting Shop Foreman and restoration team leader, E828 was one of a class of 25 heavy freight locomotives designed for the Southern Railway by the Chief Mechanical engineer, R.E.L. Maunsell at a cost of £10,500 each.

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7) Eastleigh District Scouts

At the Eastleigh District Scouts display area, you could hear great conversations with lots of laughter.

Group Scout Leader Ian Patrick and Chairman Rob Whittington for 7th Eastleigh (2nd Fair Oak) Scout Group were passionate about Eastleigh Scouts.

They showed me an Eastleigh Scouts Groups map. Eastleigh children are fortunate as there are so many Scout groups to challenge and nurture them.

Ian told me Eastleigh District Scouts is now looking for a Treasurer and a Secretary.

If you could help Eastleigh District Scouts, please contact Chairman John Mabb on chairman@eastleigh-scouts.org.uk.

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Community Champion meets One Community

It was also wonderful to have met Asda Eastleigh’s Community Champion Cecily Casey, who was helping (running around) at the Fair. I got a chance to speak to her for the first time.

Cecily and I met online and we had ‘chatted’ via email and Twitter for a few months. Cecily dedicates herself in a great variety of charity work for the community, and has also started contributing to Chandler’s Ford Today with her stories.

Here is Cecily with Julia Allan, Head of Voluntary Sector Support Team of One Community. Julia has an important job in supervising about 160 volunteers for all One Community projects across Eastleigh.

Inspirational people

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the Volunteers Fair. I felt recharged after speaking to so many wonderful people in the community, from Chandler’s Ford, Eastleigh to Southampton.

Their energy and enthusiasm were infectious and I love having positive energy around me. I would like to thank the volunteers for the source of inspiration they have given me, and the joy of life they’ve spread.

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