Page 6 - index
P. 6

Kim Ho, special projects coordinator at HMR
                                                               Circle, said: “A lot of our members rely on the
                                                               support they get from our practical service;
                                                               knowing that the fear of rogue traders is removed
                                                               by using our service means people get jobs done
                                                               which previously had been left.”


                                                               With the demise of the Council for Voluntary
                                                               Service in Rochdale (CVS), HMR Circle was
                                                               approached to take over the management for the
                                                               Volunteer Drivers Service (VDS).
          2018 was an incredible year for Heywood,
          Middleton & Rochdale Circle, a not-for-profit        The entire HMR Circle team, along with Mary
          social enterprise based in Rochdale, marked with     Burke, who joined the Circle team as the VDS
          record breaking numbers across all the services      coordinator after previously performing the role at
          ‘HMR Circle’ provides. New services and              CVS, supported by volunteers, had the VDS up and
          partnerships were added and visitors from near       running with less than two hours disruption.
          and far came to see the work HMR Circle does.
                                                               The VDS takes older people and vulnerable adults
          One of the major landmarks was in November           to hospital and doctors appointments, day services
          when HMR Circle took its 30,000th social booking     or to social events. It is a valuable service which
          since launching six years ago.                       relieves a huge burden on statutory services and
                                                               helps ensure people are able to attend
          As a mark of how far the organisation has grown,     appointments and get the necessary treatment and
          180 people attended the Circle Christmas party in    support they need.
          2018, back in 2012 it was just four.
                                                               Since HMR Circle took on the VDS, membership of
          HMR Circle has gone on to organise over 2,000        the service has increased by 37%, with an average
          different activities and events, ranging from meet-  of over 1,500 requests taken every month.                        HMR Circle and Professor Spinelli are working on     Other work is also ongoing with RBH to support
          ing up for a coffee, going out for meals, quizzes,                                                                    developing the next phase and it is hoped that       older tenants and residents living in RBH
          walks, and talks, all suggested by the members.      During 2018 HMR Circle completed an initial pilot                further funding will be secured in the near future.  neighbourhoods.
                                                               working with an organisation called ‘Give & Take
          Nothing has been off limits with members hot air     Care’ based at Brunel University.                                All this successful work has created waves both      With the launch of a ‘Chatter Table’ at Morrisons
          ballooning across the Lake District, abseiling down                                                                   nationally and internationally.                      Supermarket in Rochdale, working with Living Well,
          Rochdale Town Hall tower and segway driving.         The ‘Give & Take Care’ scheme was the brainchild                                                                      people visiting the Morrisons cafe are welcome
                                                               of the late Professor Heinz Wolff and his colleague              HMR Circle hosted two delegations from South         to join HMR Circle staff and volunteers for a chat
          Leanne Chorlton, operations manager at HMR           Professor Gabriella Spinelli.                                    Korea at the end of 2018, with a film crew from      whilst taking a break from shopping.
          Circle, said: “2018 has been an incredible year, and                                                                  KBS, the Korean equivalent of the BBC, filming a
          thanks have to go to our members and volunteers      HMR Circle was one of a group of pilot areas                     documentary about HMR Circle and how an ageing       Mark Wynn, director at HMR Circle, said: “The
          who help make HMR Circle the success it is.”         selected to test this new form of befriending and                population in South Korea could be supported.        entire team at HMR Circle are incredibly proud of

                                                               reward system for volunteers. HMR Circle,                                                                             what we have achieved in the last 12 months and
          Circle also provides a practical service which helps   performed well above all the other pilot areas,                HMR Circle will be expanding into different areas    we are excited by what is developing for 2019.
          with life’s awkward jobs, especially those that older    with 41 people supported and over 700 hours of               across the UK, thanks to a strategic partnership
          people struggle to get someone out to do. Every      support being delivered.                                         with Wellbeing Teams, an organisation headed up      “New initiatives, expansion and improvements
          day HMR Circle has ‘helpers’ out doing jobs for                                                                       by Helen Sanderson.                                  means that we will continue to be a stellar service
          older people, such as cleaning, gardening,                                                                                                                                 for our members and hopefully something the
          decorating, moving boxes and changing light bulbs,                         A                                          Locally, HMR Circle is working closely with          entire town can be proud of as we set new stand-
          at an affordable, discounted rate.                                                                                    Rochdale Boroughwide Housing on a social eating      ards in the sector both nationally and beyond.”
                                                                      Real Rochdale                                             programme, aimed at getting socially isolated older
          The practical service completed over 5,000 jobs, -                                                                    people out and about and enjoying food-based         For more information contact the HMR Circle
          over 10,000 hours of help and support - delivered           Success Story                                             activities with friends and neighbours.              office on 01706 751165 or visit the HMR Circle
          by DBS checked, trained staff and volunteers.                                                                                                                              website at:  www.hmrcircle.org.uk


          REAL ROCHDALE - SPRING 2019                        6                                                                                                                    7                       REAL ROCHDALE - SPRING 2019
   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11