THE Council for Voluntary Service and Volunteer Bureau in Okehampton is hoping to capitalise on the hard work of the last three years when it resumes to full service in the autumn.
Carmel Fanconi took on the job of manager in 1999 and since that time the local charity has gone from strength to strength, so it was very much with regret that Carmel announced her retirement from the job earlier this year. Volunteer Bureau Co-ordinator Jan Winter also left for pastures new.
After a quiet summer for the Okehampton & District CVS things are starting to take shape again and new faces are joining the team.
The new co-ordinator, Sue Bisley, has recently been appointed thanks to funding from the National Association of Volunteer Bureaux. She will be familiar to many through her work down the years at Okehampton & District Citizens' Advice Bureau.
The Committee is also on the verge of appointing a new manager, having had to wait until suitable funding had been received — Devon County and West Devon Borough Councils and the Exeter and Mid Devon NHS Healthcare Trust have all contributed.
So, come the autumn the committee feels confident that the full service can be re-launched and go on to become better than ever.
Current chair of the charity Dave Goodwin said: 'All the hard work put in by Jan and Carmel in their time here is just waiting to be capitalised on and taken further.
'We have managed to help so many people and groups in the area to fulfil their ambitions and we just want to carry on that good work,' he said.
The CVS & VB exist to provide community and voluntary groups help across all their work, from advice on constitutions and efficiently running their organisations, through employment issues to funding advice and project development and back again, as well as helping to match up volunteers with groups who need their help.
This is all done through a rolling programme of training days, forum meetings, the HELP! newsletter and one-on-one sessions.
An important role is also played in representing the voluntary sector and its interests to various councils and other statutory agencies and initiatives as well as informing the sector of changes in the way these councils and quangos operate.
If anyone is interested in finding out more or offering their time as a volunteer please contact the CVS on 01837 55047 or pop into the office in the Ockment Centre, Monday – Thursday between 10.00am and 2.00pm.
l Carmel Fanconi (centre) receives her leaving present after lunch in Cellars. She is joined by (left to right) Janice Goodwin, committee member; Dave Goodwin, chair; Claire Goater, volunteer; Julie Meakin-Scott, committee member; Barbara Osbourne, committee member, Mary Rattenbury, CVS administrator and Patrick Hynes, volunteer. Picture by Jim Goodwin