In the last in her series of Jubilee People columns, Coun VIVIENNE KNAGGS, Ryedale’s champion for older people, makes a plea on behalf of the team behind many of the district’s volunteer schemes

RYEDALE Carers Support is now a successful independent organisation but was just one of the projects established by Ryedale Voluntary Action (RVA) at its inception in the early 1990s.

In those days, most of the work focused on helping disabled, elderly and vulnerable young people. Then, as now, voluntary help was vital in ensuring projects were effective and fulfilled the real needs of Ryedale people.

Today, Carers Support has 130 volunteers performing a range of jobs from sitting with cared-for elderly and disabled people; looking after frail people discharged from hospital; befriending isolated and lonely elderly clients and dealing with referrals from GPs and social services.

Currently, 200 families across Ryedale are being helped. We owe a debt of gratitude to this veritable army of kind, selfless people who give so generously and freely of their time and effort.

Claire Hall, who now leads this service, has been with RVA since the beginning. Because of financial cuts, her five staff have been reduced to just three. They provide training and induction for new volunteers and give instruction on key areas of information such as dementia, safeguarding and other clinical issues pertinent to elderly clients.

A major concern is always to recruit more volunteers and she requests readers to consider this crucial need and whether they might be willing to help in this work. Claire can be contacted on 01751 432088.

Another service which has gone from strength to strength is Ryecat, now rechristened Ryedale Community Transport. It also looks for volunteers, mainly drivers to take people to hospital or for appointments, although they run a range of services. More information about how readers could help is available on 01653 699059.

The counselling service is yet another success story. It provides help for people in need of personal support. It has been a lifeline for many Ryedale residents and the help given has been greatly appreciated.

All these groups still remain under the RVA ‘umbrella’, but RVA’s projects and services have continued to expand and develop over time.

Organisations supported are now many and varied. Community groups, village halls, sports clubs and parish councils are just a few of the groups which have used RVA’s expertise to access grant and lottery funding opportunities in order to develop their facilities.

Similarly, it also offers an accountancy service which helps community organisations with their financial returns and record-keeping, and there is an advice and advocacy service under the title Rural Voice.

A regular bi-monthly newsletter to inform member groups of current and emerging initiatives is published, and the last issue reported the arrival of RVA’s new chief executive, who is also chief executive for Seachange, the Scarborough CVS group, which has links with RVA.

Melanie Bonney-Kane comes with wide experience from the Hastings Trust and she started work at Community House in Malton on January 2. We wish her well.

I know that she, like David Wright, the chairman, and all the board of trustees, as well as others connected with RVA, are keen to increase awareness of all the services which can benefit the community.

There is a genuine need out there for help in many diverse areas. If you can spare just a couple of hours each week it could be a rewarding experience for you, of immense help to needy individuals and play a significant part in strengthening communities across Ryedale.

To find out more contact The Volunteer Centre, RVA, Community House, Wentworth Street, Malton, phone 01653 600120.