Good Neighbour Schemes

What are Good Neighbour Schemes?

These are local voluntary organisations that offer a service to people in need of a little support and help at certain times in their lives.

They may be elderly or disabled or single parents, experiencing illness or maybe just lonely because of bereavement or loss.

The Good Neighbours Scheme is there to offer mainly temporary help, to assist people to cope or to help them on the road to recovery or to get more involved in community life.

What help can Good Neighbour Schemes provide?

• Providing lifts / transport to appointments, hospital visits or day care / local clubs
• Help with shopping, errands, prescription collection
• Befriending / visiting
• Help with looking after pets, dog walking
• Letter writing, form filling
• Help after hospital discharge
• Accompanying to clubs or groups of interest
• Minor repairs, gardening, household tasks
• Providing emergency meals / provisions
• Providing information / signposting / support to contact services
• Reading to partially sighted /blind or elderly

N.B. Not a definitive list – some schemes may offer other services

Do all Good Neighbour Schemes offer the same services?

• Each scheme will look different as they are based on local needs, what people are prepared to do and what is happening in an individual community already.
• Not every scheme will run the whole list of services. For example there are many schemes offering lifts / transport and not so many that will undertake gardening tasks. You will need to check locally.
• Schemes may ask for a small donation especially if transport is involved but most tasks are undertaken on a purely voluntary basis

Interested? – how to get involved or start a new scheme

• If you are a willing volunteer then see if you have a local scheme and contact them to find out more
• If there is no local scheme then you might like to consider working with others to start a new scheme in your area.
• Action in Rural Sussex oversee the Good Neighbour Schemes in High Weald, Lewes and Havens, they will be able to provide initial help and advice. They can also provide toolkits and materials which are tried and tested with existing schemes, these will make it easier for you to begin from scratch.

Contact

Action in Rural Sussex
T: 01273 473 422
E: info@ruralsussex.org.uk
A: Suites F7-F9 , Waterside Centre, North Street, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 2PE