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Moray Reach Out offers a quality embroidery service with a difference providing excellent quality goods whilst delivering a successful training programme for people with learning disabilities. Moray Reach Out's Embroidery & Fine Gifts is a social enterprise and one of several Moray Reach Out projects, which offers adults with learning disabilities and individuals recovering from health issues a supportive and safe working environment. Moray Reach Out's Embroidery and Fine Gifts Shop in Elgin is looking for volunteers to help support this project. If you have knowledge of needlework, embroidery or craft work, and would enjoy sharing your skill with our trainees, then please get in touch. We are a friendly and welcoming team and look forward to hearing from you.

The Board of Trustees of Four Pillars are looking to recruit new trustees to ensure the Charity can continue to grow and support the LGBT+ community in Grampian. Four pillars currently run a community hub, support and social groups, 1 to 1 support, provide volunteering opportunities and facilitate Grampian Pride. There are lots of ideas in the pipeline for the future. In order to achieve these we are particularly looking for people with previous experience of serving on a charity board and/or with skills and knowledge in one or more of the following: -An understanding of the needs of the LGBT+ community in Grampian -PR social media -Legal knowledge -Fundraising/ event planning We would also like to hear from people currently underrepresented on our board: -People with a disability -People from an ethnic minority For more information or to apply please go to our website www.fourpillarsuk.org/volunteer

Moray Reach Out has a well established recycling team with centres now operating in Buckie and Elgin. In Buckie, for example, we currently offer 50 training places to adults with learning disabilities, providing education and training about recycling cans into aluminium and steel. We offer a van collection service that gives trainees the opportunity to collect and process business' recycling. We currently pick up from over 140 customers in the Buckie area. In Elgin, our team processes your purple bins, contributing both to the environment and the community. We take the contents including cans, tins and plastic containers in order to process them into bales. Volunteers support trainees in the practical elements of the tasks. Our volunteers are people who foster team work, are themselves team players, and are comfortable working with people of all abilities and also have a good sense of humour!

Cameron’s Champions is a befriending scheme for older people in the Forres area. Volunteers are expected to be able to spend a minimum of 1-2 hours per week/fortnight for a minimum duration of 6 months. The support provided by Cameron’s Champions might include accompanying clients to social events, activities, or perhaps to attend health appointments. Most importantly they will be able to spend valuable time with the client and give individual attention and support. Cameron’s Champions aim to help clients to build their confidence and to increase their independence by providing a listening ear and encouraging the client to get out and about to rediscover old interests and find new ones.Volunteers are being sought from the local Forres area.

As a group support volunteer, you would alonvolunteer gside another member/s of the team to assist with group activities including arts, crafts, cooking, sports, music which can help to improve the health and wellbeing or our young people. The impact you can make... You would look to introduce young people to new activities to help them learn new skills and develop new interests. Group support volunteers can volunteer from age 14 and over and don’t have to have previous experience of volunteering or working with young people. For our groups having a volunteer can make such a positive impact on their lives and help change their future. Through groups you can develop confidence and self-belief to achieve life goals. The benefits to you... As a volunteer you will gain practical experience of spending time with children and young people and increase your knowledge about the issues affecting young people. You will meet a range of new people and be filled with a sense of satisfaction, knowing that you have helped make a difference in a child or young persons life. Volunteers can spend their time on a weekly basis and days/evenings and times can be flexible. Excellent support provided to all our volunteers.

Help People at Difficult Times Listening volunteers are there for anyone who needs someone, and provide confidential emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which may lead to suicide. Every seven seconds someone contacts us. Every seven seconds we can help someone turn their life around. As a listening volunteer you get the chance to make a real difference to someone’s future. You can offer support on the phone, email or text. Volunteers typically volunteer a minimum of a 4 hour duty per week, as well as a 4 hour night duty at monthly intervals. There are no qualifications required and you’ll receive full training to prepare you for the kinds of conversations you’ll have. And when you start out, you’ll have a mentor with you, to give you confidence you’re doing the right thing. You can also apply to help with administration or other non-listening support. Let us know how you would like to help.

Our modern teaching kitchen is where we run workshops for all ages and abilities. The kitchen regularly hosts cooking classes and is available for community groups to use, including after-school groups. Help assist this busy and creative kitchen set-up, or cooking and/or food prep, serving and clear-up. Help us keep the kitchen running smoothly for all that use it and to support our work in healthy eating and cooking!

Clan’s Listening and Support volunteers are the key points of contact for clients accessing our range of free practical services and emotional support at our Wellbeing Centres across the North East, including Moray. Listening & Support Volunteers currently help a wide range of people affected by cancer, including those with a cancer diagnosis, carers, colleagues, family members and friends by offering an impartial, confidential listening ear. Support can be given either in person or on the telephone. Clan is in urgent need of volunteers in Elgin and the surrounding areas of Lossiemouth and Forres. If you are caring, compassionate, an effective listener and available to volunteer for 4 hours at a time (on week days) either weekly, fortnightly or monthly for a minimum of 12 months, we’d love to hear from you! Find out more about how you could make a difference to local people affected by cancer by visiting www.clancancersupport.org, or by calling 01224 647 000 and asking to speak with our Volunteer Manager.

Loneliness and isolation are huge issues for many young people in Moray right now. As a volunteer mentor you would be matched with a young person who you would spend regular time on a 1:1 basis, building a trusting relationship. You'll take part in activities that is of interest to your young person, such as cooking, sports, and crafts and introduce them to new activities to help them learn new skills and develop new interests. Mentors can range from age 14 and over and don’t have to have previous experience working with young people. As a mentor, you'll assist young people in solving problems and making informed choices. Mentors are well supported too, and you'll be given a full induction and role specific training as well as also any ongoing training opportunities.

Community alarms support many older and more vulnerable people in Moray to continue living as independently as possible in their own homes. At the press of a button they can quickly raise an alert if they need assistance. There are a number of people in our communities who unfortunately have no family or friends living close by who are able to act as their alarm responder and go check on them when an alarm is activated to provide initial assistance. We are currently experiencing a greater demand for volunteer alarm responders across Moray, especially in the Forres, Elgin, Buckie and Dufftown areas for people who do not have close family, friends are neighbours for this type of support. This volunteer service is very much about remaining calm and providing reassurance. If you would like to know more about what is entailed please contact the Volunteer Development Team email volunteering.CC@moray.gov.uk.