Enable-Solihull has been contacted by someone who has an Easy-life Total Strider walker/exercise machine (friction fed, not electric) to give away.

It was bought about 4-5 years and is in very good condition, having been used very little.  Thrson concerned would like to give it away to someone who would find it useful. He doesn’t want to be paid for it.  To see what the item looks like go to http://www.easylifegroup.com/total-strider-2415

Anyone who is interested should contact Vince Price on 07854 685 316.

Office Furniture

Welcome are looking for office desks, chairs and filing cabinets. Contact June Mole on 0121 711 3148 or email junem@solihull-sustain.org.uk if you can help.

Shirley Sea Scouts have launched an appeal for aluminium cans which they can exchange for cash to aid their fundraising programme. If you can help, please contact June Mole at SUSTAiN on 0121 711 3148

Back in October you completed a survey about the support services you needed and that information is has already been used to help us make a bid for funding from the Cabinet Office’s Transforming Local Infrastructure fund.

According to the survey, many of you are looking for support in things like business planning, forging links with the private sector, finance, funding advice, governance, HR, PR & marketing and all sorts of training.

We are currently looking at how we can meet these support needs across and within the sector, but there is also support available outside the sector.

Solihull Council and other statutory and private sector organisations are now running ‘Employer Supported Volunteering’ (ESV) schemes. ESV is the term used to describe all forms of volunteering carried out by employees which are supported by their employer (ref: Volunteer England).

The scheme at Solihull Council entitled ‘Sharing our Skills’ allows staff to take up to three days (22 hours) a year, out of their day job, to support our Voluntary and Community Sector.

Solihull Council employees have a wealth of skills, knowledge and experience that they are ready to share with you.  In addition to the areas that came out in the survey, their staff can also offer support in administration, archiving, child welfare, IT, legal, project management, research plus other practical skills like cooking, DIY and listening. 

Initially Solihull Council employees will only be able to offer a maximum of 3 days as part of their working week but some may wish to continue to volunteer with organisations in their own time.

The Volunteer Centre, who is acting as a broker for ESV in the borough, would welcome your short term opportunities for employees looking for volunteering roles in Solihull. Opportunities can be for any duration up to 22 hours, for individuals or groups. These can be completed in one block of time or spread over a number of weeks to suit your needs.

To register your opportunities now, please complete a simple ESV opportunity registration form, which you can download below, and we will do the rest!

 Download the ESV Registration form here

For more information, contact Maureen Shepherd on 0121 711 3148 or email maureen.shepherd@wayc2.org

The Children’s Workforce Development Council has produced ‘Communication and engagement with children and young people: An employers pocket guide’. It is intended to be a starting point rather than comprehensive.

It should equally apply to developing skills of volunteers as well as paid staff.

Download the Pocket Guide here.

The Be Clear on Cancer campaign by the Department of Health has issued a toolkit to provide information and resources to those organisations or groups with an interest in lung cancer and those affected by the condition.

Download the toolkit here

Skills For Jobs supports long term unemployed people in North Solihull find work. Over half the people who contacted the service in the past year have now secured employment.

They operate on very limited budgets and are in need of the following items – can you help?

• Laminator
• Guillotine
• Computer chair
• Headphones to plug into laptop
• Flipchart stand

Contact Sophia on 07825 414 372

Microsoft has extended its software donation programme so that Charities registered with the Charity Commission, Charitable Housing Associations registered with the Financial Services Authority (FSA) under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act and with HM Revenue & Customs confirmed charitable status can obtain free Microsoft software products at any time over a two year period.

The programme is being managed in the UK through CTXCHANGE. Visit their website to check your eligability and entitlement.

Solihull based Health Care recruitment company, Ogrady Peyton has some high quality training equipment they are no longer using and would like to find a suitable local charity/organisation who could benefit from this.

They have rectangular tables with tubular legs that can be arranged in many configurations.  There are blue upholstered tube frame chairs that go with these tables.

They also have a number of lecture room chairs with a sliding seat and a writing surface that flips over from one side.

Contact Linda Pool on 0845 310 7310 ext 7451 or email her on linda.pool@ogradypeyton.co.uk

Olton Tavern on Lode Lane can provide accommodation for meetings and can seat up to 40 people. There is no charge but they ask that any refreshments are bought from them at cost price.

They are open from 11.00am in the morning until 11.00pm at night.

To book, call the Olton Tavern on 0121 742 0515