The Volunteer Centre is located on Union Road New Mills and is
open from 10.00am to 4.00pm Monday to Friday inclusive. Telephone
lines (01663 744196) are staffed during these hours and an answer
phone is available for messages at other times.
The Centre was launched in 1983 by the local Clergy Fraternal and
has operated from various locations in the town before moving to
the current premises, which were specially designed and refurbished
in November 2003.
The organisation, which is a Registered Charity (No 1097655) and
a Company Limited by Guarantee (No 4666277), has grown enormously
over the years and currently has 6 staff members and over 100 volunteers
and is managed by a Board of Trustees. The major funding is provided
by the Primary Care Trust, Derbyshire County Council, The Big Lottery
and Lloyds TSB Foundation, with other monies received from local
councils and organisations and through the Centre’s own fund
raising.
The services the Centre offer reflect the nature of the small semi-rural
local community in the New Mills area, ranging out to Hayfield and
Furness Vale & Chinley. The Centre seeks to identify gaps in
community care which can appropriately be met by volunteer activity.
This requires them to be continually responsive to changing needs,
as expressed by service users.
Currently the Centre provides help for people who have needs arising
from being elderly, disabled, house-bound, isolated, physically
or mentally ill, visually or hearing impaired, or from learning
difficulties. Their assistance takes the form of car transport,
shopping, befriending, group activities, training, information provision
and general practical work.
To fulfill these tasks, the Centre seeks to recruit, support and
train volunteers. The objective is to provide volunteering opportunities
for everyone, irrespective of age, disability, race, gender, belief
or background. While the primary purpose of recruiting volunteers
is to serve the needs of the local community, the benefits for those
who volunteer are also recognised and encouraged.
The Volunteer Centre aims to provide work experience for those who
are unemployed, and encourages volunteers to develop their potential
and confidence. A variety of training is available to enable volunteers
to accomplish objectives with aptitude and safety. The Centre is
always keen to learn of any special skills volunteers have to offer,
and to assist in employing these within the Centre or directed to
other voluntary organisations.
More detailed information can be obtained by calling into the Centre,
by telephoning or by visiting their website: www.nmvc.org. A warm
welcome is assured.
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