Ask for help, or volunteer in Westerham? There are various ways forward – Locally, or at Town, District or County level
Elderly, Vulnerable or Self Isolating in Westerham
- You can keep in touch, volunteer or ask for help informally, in Westerham, on Facebook. Page: Westerham Kent Groups: New Westerham Watch and Westerham Self Isolating Assistance (take care not to publish sensitive information though)
- If you need help or advice read this Leaflet from Citizens’ Advice, which covers Debt & Money, Benefits, Employment, Housing, Family & Relationships, including domestic violence
- Community Meals, Delivered Apply to receive, or volunteer as a driver for this service, courtesy of ‘The Courtyard’ cooking in Westerham Hall kitchens.
- If you are healthy & want to help others in self-isolation, sign up to be a #Sevenoaks District Community Volunteer. Find out more & sign up here sevenoaks.gov.uk/communityvolun
- If you’d like a #Sevenoaks volunteer to come to you, you can also register for help sevenoaks.gov.uk/requesthelp
- If you are vulnerable and have an urgent need that cannot be met through existing support networks, you can contact the Kent Together helpline at www.kent.gov.uk/KentTogether or by calling on 03000 41 92 92. It is a 24 hour service.
- Westerham Town Council’s Covid-19 page brings together all the information the Council has from national, regional and local sources.
Activities or Groups:
Join an activity or group, be it hands on or off, intellectual, sports, caring, creative, musical, indoors, outdoors – there’s something for everyone to be part of! (some groups charge a modest membership fee, some don’t) Try something new, maybe? We have listed everything we know about here in our community pages and please let us know if you know of any errors or omissions.
Volunteering:
There are also loads of volunteering opportunities where every skill can be made use of:
- Westerham Town Partnership (help run events and information dissemination in our community, including this website, Facebook and Twitter. Help in any capacity is always needed!)
- Many of our Clubs and Societies are crying out for officers to help run activities and in particular for Treasurers – take your pick!
- All of our Sports Groups would welcome volunteers with open arms – from the weekly free Park Run to the start up Cricket teams
- There is plenty of opportunity to get involved in local music, for beginners or experts, there’s something for everyone
- Or help out with Youth Groups, (sports, girl guiding, scouts, cadets etc)
- Westerham Library (see community page)
- Churchill School website
- Car Driving (Dial 2 Drive) for those needing a lift (website)
- Disability & Seniors Homes (Leonard Cheshire, Westerham Place, Valence)
- Any of the Churches (Churches page)
- Any of the Charity Shops (Charities page)
- Farley & Hosey Greensands Commons Projects (Kent Wildlife page)
- National Trust, Chartwell & Quebec House, and Emmetts Gardens
- English Heritage at Down
- Men-in-Sheds (website)
- Foal Farm Animal Rescue (website)
- Kent Wildlife (website)
- National Organisations such as Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal, Samaritans, CAB, Rotary
- Local Authority run activities such as Councillor, Food Bank, Sevenoaks Responders, Firefighters, Speedwatch, Litterpick etc Town Council website
- “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” – Sir Winston Churchill. Westerham is an ideal community in which to get involved, (and self help) and now, whilst stuck at home, is a good time to be making your plans for the future.
Further Afield
If you prefer to find something further afield try Do-It.Org which is a website, listing opportunities, where you can search geographically and by skill or interest.