• Norwood Forum

Volunteering opportunities this week

Firstly, some great feedback from Ros, a volunteer at last week's pop up vaccine centre in Brixton: "Inviting people for their vaccination on a sunny afternoon in Brixton and then later helping with crowd control at the library was so much fun and incredibly life affirming.  It was a privilege to be allowed to help and I would be so pleased to do it again.  I'd recommend it to anyone and will absolutely sign up the very next time I possibly can." This week's volunteering opportunities include joining our committee (and thanks to Team Lambeth for their kind words on our work):

Age UK – Digital Neighbours
Westbury’s Chemist – covid vaccine marshals
Copes Pharmacy – covid vaccine marshals
Norwood Forum – new members
Healthwatch Lambeth Champions

Age UK – Digital Neighbours

'Digital Neighbours' help Age UK Lambeth clients to get comfortable online to overcome the digital divide, with all the social and life benefits that brings. This is a community-based volunteering role in which the volunteer becomes something of a local digital hero in their neighbourhood. The role is to provide basic digital support and learning to Age UK clients in your neighbourhood, over the phone or on Zoom. This could be anything from helping people get familiar with facetime, savvy with search engines or brave buying things online, all the way through to helping someone solve a scary error message or even to just ‘turn the bleeding thing on’! The role is very flexible, so you can fit Digital Neighbour tasks around work and other responsibilities.  Age UK hopes that helping in your local area fits nicely into everyday life - let them know if you'd like to find out more.

Westbury’s Chemist – covid vaccine marshals

Westbury Chemist on Streatham High Road are continuing to vaccinate Lambeth residents for Covid-19, and the vaccine supply seems to be regulating again. They are hoping to cover two six-hour shifts every day, including weekends. Volunteers will help to ensure the safe flow of people being vaccinated, from the time they arrive to the time they leave - checking patients are on the appointment list, checking temperatures, preparing them for the vaccination room, and making sure that patients leave safely with their vaccination cards. Shifts will be 8am-2pm and 2pm-8pm every day, including weekends. PPE will be provided. Social distancing will be managed. If you can help, please let them know what shifts you can do.

Copes Pharmacy – covid vaccine marshals

Copes Pharmacy Streatham South are expanding their vaccination programme and will now be open seven days a week. Copes hope to cover two six-hour shifts - 8am-2pm and 2pm-8pm - every day, including weekends. Volunteers will help to ensure the safe flow of people being vaccinated, from the time they arrive to the time they leave - checking patients are on the appointment list, checking temperatures, preparing them for the vaccination room, and making sure that patients leave safely with their vaccination cards.

PPE will be provided. Social distancing will be managed. Please note Copes is at the far southern end of Streatham High Road. Can you help?

Norwood Forum – new members

Norwood Forum is a fantastically active and capable local forum that leads on information sharing, local networking and community support in their area. Their AGM is coming up (June/July) and they would really like to get some fresh faces on their committee. Do you have ideas and opinions about what Norwood needs? You would attend a monthly meeting (1½ hours) and maybe also spend some time sharing information that you hear about locally – local events and activities coming up, or Planning applications, or environmental issues for example – so that the forum can share it on to their membership.

Would you like to talk to a Norwood Forum committee member to find out more? They would love to hear from you.

Healthwatch Lambeth Champions

Healthwatch Lambeth are looking for Champions to take part in activities that will increase awareness about Healthwatch Lambeth so that more people can access their services. HWL is the independent champion for people who use health and social care services, helping to make sure that those running services put people at the heart of care. They work to understand the needs, experiences and concerns of people who use health and social care services, and to speak out on their behalf, as well as offering information and signposting support to anyone with questions around health and social care. Healthwatch Lambeth Champions will promote HWL across Lambeth, participate in outreach activities, and represent HWL in various forums and networks, from April 2021 to March 2022. Working approximately two hours a week, which may involve some evening work, volunteers will be working outdoors but will be provided with appropriate PPE. Can you help to promote Healthwatch Lambeth?