EASTBOURNE VOLUNTEERS WITH HELEN BURTON: We're looking for cooks and drivers

Secondly, we are looking for people who could offer lifts to others that need to get to get to medical appointments, either at local doctor’s surgeries or hospitals.

If you can help by putting your cooking skills to good use we want to set up Leaf Hall lunch club as soon as possible, it is a much needed resource in Eastbourne. We will be serving a basic meat and two veg meal with dessert so if that is in your culinary repertoire and you could help out even just one day a week then please get in touch for a chat. If helping others by becoming a volunteer driver is more your thing we would also like to hear from you. We have an exciting opportunity for people to get involved in our new volunteer car service, organised in conjunction with Eastbourne District General Hospital. As soon as we have enough drivers we can launch the service, and yet again, we will be providing a much needed resource for Eastbourne residents.

The service will offer low cost transport for residents on pensions or benefits. We have a great bus service in Eastbourne but it can still be difficult for some people to attend medical appointments, and we want to make sure no one needs to miss out on medical care because of a lack of funds. Drivers will need to use their own cars and ideally offer one morning or afternoon a week, although drivers who could only help out every now and then would also be welcomed. Mileage will be paid to drivers so that they will not be out of pocket.

We are a happy team of volunteers and are really excited about these two projects that we are getting off the ground. If you can’t volunteer yourself then please tell your friends, neighbours and colleagues. The more volunteers there are the more we can achieve, and in these uncertain political times we need to support each other more than ever.

I have felt the support of the rest of the lovely Eastbourne Volunteers this week, after a major surgery last week. Our information hub has been staffed, the emails answered, the phones manned and the project has continued on without me while I’ve been recovering. It is wonderful to see the progress we have made since launching at the end of January, and even better to feel the love that surrounds this project. Thank you in particular to Anne, Lorri, Nicole and Celia. If you want to join our team or can fill either of these volunteer roles then please email [email protected], pop into our Hub 10-1 weekdays at 1 The Labyrinth, 7 Mark Lane, BN21 4RJ or call 01323 381811. We would love to hear from you!