Recent Comments

1. Volunteer Locally With The Homeless - 12 Nov 2008

   We work with an organisation called Gloucestershire Nightstop. Nightstop functions all over the country so try googling to find your local one if you are interested.
   Nightstop operates to offer short term emergency accommodation to young people aged 16-25 on the day they become homeless. It’s a way of keeping vulnerable yound people off the streets until the local authorities can find them more permanent shelter.
   It works by having host families or individuals making their own home available to host. You volunteer your free days in advance and then on the day you may be contacted. You can always turn someone down if you aren’t up to it on the day. You receive full training and support. All you have to do is provide a bed, dinner and breakfast and somewhere for them to wash.
   Some of the Nightstop users want to chat, others prefer to just watch TV or go to their room early. Those who come are carefully vetted and are in the lowest risk categories.
   We were nervous the first time we volunteered but the young people proved to be lovely. We’ve had some great experiences. The majority of users suffer family breakdown with step parents or parental abuse. A few have left care and now aren’t sure what to do.
   If you can’t offer to host, you may be able to offer other services such as driving them from pick up points to host families in the evening or offering to volunteer in the office occasionally.
   As an example, check out www.gloucestershirenightstop.org.uk as a starter.

2. Become A Blood Donor - 17 Nov 2008

   It’s actually good for my health giving blood because I’ve got loads of haemaglobin coursing through my veins and donating thins it down nicely. My wife, on the other hand, only mangages about once a year due to getting anaemic if she gives too regularly.
   The hardest thing is finding the time to get along there because the place is usually packed out in the evening. But I do enjoy the tea and biscuit afterwards, I must say.