Can you volunteer in support of the One Can Trust foodbank?

Since 2011, One Can Trust has operated a foodbank based in High Wycombe, serving the town and the wider area of South Buckinghamshire. 

We work with local organisations, including Bucks Council, housing associations and the Department for Work and Pensions, to provide weekly food parcels to those who need our help. We have seen a huge increase in requests for our support over the last few months due to the cost-of-living crisis. In addition to providing food for households who are struggling, we offer advice and support to help families tackle the causes of their financial difficulty.

Would your organisation be able support One Can with a small team of volunteers to sort food parcels or run a collection for donations of food or money? More details are on the attached leaflet.

Buckinghamshire Business First making One Can Trust donation

Buckinghamshire Business First staff members will be donating to the worthy cause of One Can Trust by donating items at our staff Christmas away day, with the team encouraged to dress in the festive spirit!

Local home care company collects donations for the One Can Trust this Christmas

Amersham-based Ashridge Home Care is all about caring. Caring for its carers so they in turn can care for their clients to the best of their abilities. And this care extends beyond the company, its employees and its clients and extends well within the communities it cares for.

Ashridge carers look after clients in the comfort of their own homes in Amersham, Wendover, Berkhamsted, Tring, Great Missenden, Chesham, Thame, Chinnor and the surrounding villages of Speen, Ellesborough, Prestwood, the Chilterns area and beyond. All of which are local to the High Wycombe-based charity One Can Trust, which serves the same locality.

This Christmas, Ashridge Home Care has teamed up with One Can Trust to collect vital food items for local families in need. Founder Trudi said: “We launched our partnership with the One Can Trust successfully last year and many of our generous clients and carers donated food items to help less fortunate locals. Although we live in a privileged society, there are still many within our community that need extra care, especially at this time of year, and especially this year. Which is why we are asking the Ashridge Home Care family to come together and help others this Christmas.”

As of the beginning of December, the Ashridge Care Managers will be out and about visiting clients and carers and sharing Christmas cheer and picking up food parcels for the equally caring team at the High Wycombe-based One Can Trust. One Can Trust Foodbank is a project run by the people of South Bucks for the people of South Bucks, delivering food parcels for those most in need who find themselves at a time of crisis. It’s emergency food aid for people with emergency needs right on our doorstep.

For further information about One Can Trust please see www.onecantrust.org.uk or call the team on 01494 5122777.

Let’s ensure no one has to live on the street in this life-threatening weather

A message from the Wycombe Homeless Connection team:

"On 1st December, winter accommodation opened for people who were sleeping rough. Bitter weather has descended and we have now helped 25 people who were sleeping rough and given them a safe place to stay.

"We're working in close partnership with Buckinghamshire Council and our team of staff and volunteers are critical to making this project work across the whole of south Bucks.

"Anyone found to be sleeping rough comes to us (or we go to them) and we help them work out their options and offer them accommodation that together we think is best for their needs. We help with food and clothing and work with them to find a home for good. We connect people to healthcare and walk with them for as long as they need and whatever they are facing. 

What you can do to help

"We are expecting the number of people needing help to keep going up. We are only two weeks into winter and will want to keep going until the end of March at least. We need people who are homeless to know we are here to help them. 

• If you see someone sleeping rough you think is under 18, or is an adult in immediate danger or needing urgent medical care, you should call 999.
• If you are concerned about an adult you have seen sleeping rough, you can contact Streetlink on 0300 500 0914. Reports will be passed on to local organisations and the person will be connected to support.
• You can also tell us directly on 01494 447699 and tell the person you are concerned about how to contact us, including coming to our support centre on Castle Street, High Wycombe. More details can be found here.

"Please also give to our winter appeal - help us make sure our vital, life-saving support is available to everyone who needs it."

Local people face difficult decision - to eat or to heat

Have you turned on your heating yet? After enjoying some mild autumnal weather, temperatures have dropped and as a result many people are facing the difficult decision – to eat or to heat?

Thousands of local people are living in fuel poverty. In 2019, this figure was over 14,000 Buckinghamshire households. However, the current energy crisis will have a devastating impact on many more local families this winter and the figure is likely to be much higher.

The Heart of Bucks Winter Warmth appeal helps vulnerable people who struggle to keep warm in the cold months. In addition to granting money towards heating bills, donated funds could also be spent on warm winter clothing, supplies for homeless people such as sleeping bags, and items many people take for granted, such as a hot water bottle or a kettle.

Any donation, however small, can have a big impact on a struggling person or family this winter. The appeal also encourages those who receive the Winter Fuel Payment from the government, but are able to comfortably pay their bills, to think about donating it to help vulnerable people.

For the second year, Buckinghamshire resident Sir David Jason is supporting the Winter Warmth campaign by donating his Winter Fuel Payment.

Sir David Jason said: “More than ever, the Winter Warmth appeal will help many people in this difficult year of increased heating costs and so I am very happy to make a donation and help people in real need. This campaign makes it easy for others to do the same so that we can ease the worry for those desperately trying to cope. Let us all help out where we can.”

If you are able to help, you can donate online here. If you are a taxpayer, you can gift aid your donation and instantly increase the value by 25%.

You can also donate by sending a cheque made payable to ‘Heart of Bucks’ to: Heart of Bucks Winter Warmth, New Road, Weston Turville, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP22 5QT.

Christmas donation from Buckinghamshire Business First

As with recent years, in lieu of sending Christmas cards, Buckinghamshire Business First will be donating to Heart of Bucks, the community foundation for Buckinghamshire that is dedicated to improving people’s lives by awarding grants and loans to local charities and community groups.

If you would like to join us in supporting Heart of Bucks, you can do so here >

Thames Hospice looking to fund nurses to support families facing their last Christmas with a loved one

A message from the Thames Hospice team:

"Christmas is such a special time of year and even more so for those with a life limiting illness and their families facing the reality it could be their last to make memories together. For our patients, all they want is to be well enough to open presents or share Christmas lunch, and enjoy the Christmas traditions and celebrations they have always cherished.

"£547 would cover a day of care (including travel and medical supplies) this Christmas so a nurse can visit families in their homes. See how to donate here >

"Or, consider pledging to raise £547 by setting up a Just Giving page using this link, clicking on the 'start fundraising' button and asking your colleagues or members to donate. You could organise some festive fundraising activities, such as a Christmas jumper day, festive bake sale or hold a quiz.

"If you donate or raise enough to fund a day of care this Christmas, please send us your organisation's logo or photo of your Christmas events, and we will recognise your support on our social media this December.

"Together, we can make a real difference to those families facing their last Christmas with their loved ones."

Citizens Advice Bucks launches its Christmas Emergency Appeal

The county’s oldest and largest advice charity, Citizens Advice Bucks, is pleading for help to tackle the current cost-of-living crisis that has plunged thousands of Buckinghamshire residents into extreme difficulty this year.

They have launched their Christmas Emergency Appeal and set a target of £10,000 from individual donations so that it can continue to deliver its essential advice to the most vulnerable across Buckinghamshire.

Communities across Buckinghamshire were already suffering from the prolonged effects of the pandemic. This has led to the charity experiencing one of the highest levels of demand in its 98-year history, regularly receiving calls from working families who cannot afford to heat their homes and feed their families. Some are incurring spiralling debt just to survive each day.  As a charity that is largely delivering services, with a team of 90 volunteers, they are feeling the weight of the pressure.

“The charity is often expected to be available for everyone,” Thalia Jervis, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice Bucks said. “However, our volunteers are working so very hard and helping clients in some extremely difficult situations. There is only so much our expert volunteers can do before we need more funds to help us get through the crisis. We are training more volunteers, but that takes time. 
“Our service is facing extraordinary pressure, and we want to be there for everyone who needs us, and we need your help to respond to this crisis.”  

One client, Ahmed, who had accessed the charity’s debt advice service told us that: “Without your help – I don’t think I would be here today.”

Another client, Irene, who came to Citizens Advice with disabilities and was in financial hardship said: “I want to say a huge thank you to Citizens Advice Bucks for all your hard work and enabling me to get the Personal Independence Payment benefit. I couldn’t have done it without you. It is life changing for me and will make it so much easier for me to afford the basics.“

Chair of Citizens Advice Bucks, Jane Mordue stressed the importance of this appeal to those most in need across Buckinghamshire: “We urgently need donations for our Christmas Emergency Appeal.  Communities across Buckinghamshire are facing extreme hardship and our charity is advising people through the crisis.  Every donation we receive, no matter how large or small, means we can continue our vital work.”

Members of the public can donate now at: www.justgiving.com/campaign/christmasemergencyappeal

Support for charities and voluntary groups

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) is the membership community for charities, voluntary organisations and community groups in England

The cost of living crisis will affect every charity – whatever their size or cause. If you run or work for a charity and need support or guidance, the NCVO has produced guidance for you covering a range of topics, including:

• How to find the money you need
• Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of your team
• Financial difficulty and insolvency
• Mergers
• Developing your reserves policy

Read more here >

Join a business club that promotes the 4 Paralympic virtues

The National Paralympic Heritage Trust. A huge name for a small charity.

We have both national and international reach, yet much of our work directly impacts the people of Buckinghamshire. The Trust was set up as a part of the legacy of the London 2012 Paralympic Games, when it was recognised that someone needed to take responsibility for securing and celebrating our Paralympic Heritage. That’s our job. We are a museum, the guardian of the Paralympic heritage collection from 1948 onwards, and not least, an educational charity.

In the last year alone, we have reached 9,390 local children and adults with our outreach projects about disability, accessibility and inclusion. All done through the medium of our amazing Paralympic history. A further 20,000 people have visited our museum in Stoke Mandeville and even more have accessed our resources online. 

As we celebrate 10 years on from London 2012, we now need your help to enable us to continue educating people about disability using our fantastic Paralympic collection. We don’t expect you to send us a donation (although clearly you can if you wish).

Instead, we would like to invite you to join DICE Club, where you can be a part of a business club that promotes the 4 Paralympic virtues: Determination, Inspiration, Courage and Equality (hence DICE!). Our aim is to be seamlessly inclusive as an organisation in the next 5 years. Join the club and allow us to help your business deliver on equality, diversity and accessibility in the workplace for your employees and clients.

DICE Club is launching with a special business breakfast event on Thursday 12th January, 2023 from 7.30am. It will be held at the Heritage Centre at Stoke Mandeville Stadium. Tickets cost £12 and can be bought here. Please do join us for an inspiring talk from a British Paralympian and a chance to meet the NPHT team and learn more about what DICE Club could do for your business.  

Essential Interpreter Initiative Helps Ukrainians and Communities in Buckinghamshire

Local charity Community Impact Bucks has recruited volunteers from across the county to offer their interpretation language skills, for free, to newly arrived Ukrainians settling in Buckinghamshire.

The Volunteer Community Interpreter Initiative aims to help Ukrainians, and the groups and charities that support them, by overcoming language difficulties through the use of a volunteer interpreter who is fluent in Ukrainian or Russian, as well as English.

Many Ukrainians have sought sanctuary in Buckinghamshire towns and villages thanks to the Homes for Ukraine scheme and the generosity of host families throughout the county.  

However, for many Ukrainians their level of English language skills presents a pressing issue. From starting at school or college, applying for work, travelling, finding information or simply trying to connect with local people – being unable to speak, read or write in English can make day-to-day activities extremely difficult.

Katie Higginson, Chief Executive of Community Impact Bucks, explains: “Without sharing a common language, navigating support and finding help can be incredibly daunting for Ukrainians and their host families. Our volunteer interpreters are there to help. They provide informal language support to help Ukrainians settle into their new community and make friends. They don’t replace professional interpreters who might be needed for legal or medical meetings, but they can help in more informal settings – attending coffee mornings, school visits or open days, online meetings or events. All of these activities ensure that Ukrainians really can feel a part of their local community.“

The interpreter initiative provides a network of friendly interpreters ready to volunteer their language skills. Inna, one of the volunteer interpreters, came to the UK in February 2022 with her British husband. She has Ukrainian, Russian and English-speaking skills and wanted to help Ukrainian refugees integrate into their local community. Inna explains: “So far, I’ve been able to help at a community social gathering and by acting as an interpreter at online meetings. Coming to a new country under such difficult circumstances is incredibly traumatic. I’m so pleased to be able to help Ukrainian people that are so far from home and their families.”

Katie continues: “We’d love to help more Ukrainians with our Volunteer Community Interpreter Initiative and encourage them, their hosts and the groups that support them to contact us for our free help.”

Anyone wishing to find out more should visit www.communityimpactbucks.org.uk or if you would like to request the services of a Volunteer Community Interpreter, please fill in the online Request for a Volunteer Interpreter form.