Brundall and Blofield Good Neighbour Scheme launches

Everyone needs a little help now and again and the Good Neighbour Scheme has been set up to provide support to the communities of Brundall and Blofield

With assistance from Community Action Norfolk, funding kindly provided by Broadland District Council and The Shelroy Charitable Trust, and through associations with the local parish councils, St Laurence Church Brundall and St. Andrew and St. Peter Church Blofield, the Scheme is very much focused on people in the local communities

Trevor Plater who has helped set up the scheme said: "I am very excited to be launching the scheme and I know all those involved are looking forward to being able to provide help and support to the community from the community. I exceptionally grateful to all the volunteers who have already come forward to help and for all the support we have been given"

Brundall and Blofield Good Neighbour Scheme will be run and staffed by vetted, insured, and trained local volunteers. The aim of the Scheme is to offer support to people in the community with a variety of small tasks, thereby enhancing community spirit and quality of life

Revd Peter Leech from St Laurence, Brundall said: "We have lots of volunteers who have come forward to help and as a church we really believe in working together with others for the benefit of the community"

Examples of the type of tasks the Scheme will undertake are:

• small, light jobs in the home or garden
• collection of prescriptions or medication
• transport to appointments within the villages
• a chat over a cup of tea
• help with pets
• library visits
• shopping
• help with forms/letters

The Scheme is not intended to be a replacement for emergency or social services; it’s about local people helping other local people through small acts of kindness that can make a very big difference to their quality of life

Cllr David Ward, Broadland District Council’s member champion for older people, said: “We are really pleased to support this fantastic scheme through both the Grow Your Community project and through a grant from the Community Activities fund for £1,000. As a council, one of our ambitions is to increase levels of health and wellbeing and we are delighted that there are now seven Good Neighbour Schemes within the district. We wish the Brundall and Blofield project every success and hope that the scheme will make the lives of local residents that much easier”

The Scheme will ‘go live’ on 1st August 2016 and anyone in the villages of Brundall or Blofield who needs assistance, would like to volunteer or find out more should call Freephone 0800 688 9677

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