Blogging for Beginners!!

With June comes the summer and by tradition a young mans thoughts turn to love. Sadly my youth I barely remember so my thoughts turn to what PCVS is doing to make Peterborough a city to be proud of.

From June 1st to June 7th we are celebrating Volunteers Week. Our volunteer centre is seeing 25% more people who wish to help their communities than this time last year. So it was off to Queensgate for three days with a smile, a trestle table and some leaflets. We are talking to an average of 80 people a day who did not know there were so many voluntary opportunities for them to devote their talents and time to.

June has also seen the Mayor adopt our Young Carers Project as one of her charities for the year. We have contact with over 130 young carers, some as young as 8 or 9. We organise events for them and support them to our best abilities. Public recognition of this caring vulnerable group shows that the city is coming together to recognise that our young people our the Pride in Peterborough.
Last week one young carer came up to me to show me a card she had made on our computers. As she said “I wanted the fat bloke in charge to know how much fun we had”. I blame the parents!

Next week is National Carers week (8th-14th) and we shall be out once again with a smile, a trestle table and leaflets. On Friday together with the NHS we will be at the Hampton Shopping Centre. Our Carers Project has contact with 900 carers. People without whom the health services would collapse. Yet we are working closely with the NHS and Social Services to support carers. The last few years has seen the LAA act as the cement to enable the statutory and voluntary sector come together to appreciate each others strengths and work closer together. There is much to do but the growth of the Compact will increase knowledge and mutual respect.

And that brings us to mid June when Gillian Beasley – City Council Chief Executive has agreed to meet with our small groups Forum and discuss with them the role of community groups in the growth of the city. At a time of enconmic decline there is much fear, sadness and worry in our city. But as rarely before there is willingness amongst voluntary groups and statutory services to work together to build a cohesive, strong and happy city. And above all my job has taught me that the thousand of folk who take part in the work of charities and voluntary groups are essential to the success of the LAA. Without them it is merely a dew letters in search of a sentence.