2. Our village: Whissendine
Large Rutland village with 600 homes; according to 2011 census:  
1253 residents
111 of 75 and over
33 living alone
Plenty of facilities:
Primary school
Pub
village hall
shop with post office
sports and social club
hair and beauty salon
But …
No GP surgery
A long village with hills

3. From the WGNS website www.whissendinegns.org.uk Who are we?
The Whissendine Good Neighbour Scheme uses voluntary effort from local people to provide help for anyone in the village who needs assistance with transport, household tasks, companionship, practical support following illness, letter writing, form filling, and more...
How does it work?
Call between 8am and 8pm. A co-ordinator will arrange for one of our registered volunteers to help. Be prepared to leave a message, the co-ordinator may be busy.
How much does it cost?
The only charge is for petrol and parking. There is no charge for transport within the village. All the other services are free.

4. Definition We are not just a village transportation scheme
We aim to provide the sort of help you could expect of a good neighbour.
We use voluntary effort from local people to provide help for anyone in the village who needs assistance with transport, household tasks, companionship, practical support following illness, letter writing, form filling, and more... .

5. Inspiration
The scheme was set up in June 2010 following the publication of a parish plan. In the course of putting together the plan a questionnaire was given to all 600 households in the village.
This identified a need for (among other things) help with transport for the elderly and disabled and befrienders to reduce the isolation that some experienced. WGNS is not just for the elderly however- it is for all village residents.

6. Dedication
The scheme took 6 months to set up. We sought and received funding from the Rural Communities Council, the Parish Council and Grassroots funding from Voluntary Action Leicester.
We raised money ourselves and also received donations from the village. These enabled us to buy a wheelchair which we offer on short term loan to villagers.

7. Critical Success Factors
Management Committee
Coordinator role
News updates and events for clients and volunteers
Transport within the village
Rutland County Council subsidy
Whissendine Grapevine; fridge magnets
Range of services, including wheelchair

8. Management Committee Regular (two monthly) meetings in members’ homes
Responsibilities shared amongst the management group members
Meetings used to review statistics
Meetings give opportunity to raise awareness of any clients with particular support needs
Problem solving opportunities

9. Coordinator Role of Coordinator shared between several volunteers
Coordinator holds the phone and links volunteers to clients
Coordinators’ Folder holds up to date lists of contact details for clients and volunteers, plus details of transport costs etc
Coordinators take the phone for a week or two at a time
Rota for coordinators agreed several weeks in advance and well publicised to volunteers

10. News Updates & Events
Summary of Management Committee minutes circulated to all volunteers, plus a newsletter when needed
Article in Whissendine Grapevine (village news letter) from time to time
Annual tea-party for all clients and volunteers – well received and enjoyed by all
Coffee mornings held for volunteers once or twice a year
Christmas dinner for volunteers in a local pub
Successes regularly celebrated!

11. Transport within Village
Age Concern lunch and Happy Circle meetings alternate, twice a month
WGNS volunteers transport members to these groups
Meetings give opportunity to communicate effectively with large proportion of older clients

12. Rutland County Council Subsidy
RCC will subsidise cost of travel for all clients who have a free bus pass
Subsidy = 50% of cost
Causes additional administration for WGNS, but saves older or disabled clients 50% of cost of transport
Thus our scheme benefits from same subsidy as Voluntary Action Rutland transport scheme, with added benefit of offering transport with drivers who are familiar to clients

13. Whissendine Grapevine & the fridge magnets
Free monthly village newsletter, delivered to every household
WGNS contact number always listed
Occasional articles to raise more awareness
Magnets give a simple reminder of telephone number
Available in village shop and given out at events etc

14. Fundraising Funds are needed for: Volunteer training
Disclosure and Barring Scheme (DBS) checks
Insurance (£250 - £300 per annum)
Mobile phone (costs circa £130 per annum)
Occasional admin expenditure etc
Seek funding opportunities e.g:
Supermarket charity support schemes
Grants
Raffles
Ask local parish council for a contribution to running costs 
Remember to thank all voluntary donors (e.g. driver or client donations)

15. Range of services
Most requests for volunteers refer to driving to medical appointments
But volunteers also regularly undertake:
Gardening
Befriending
Range of volunteers hold coordinator role, not just Committee members
Local driving within village (Age Concern and Happy Circle) give volunteer opportunities to volunteers who don’t want to do longer drives
The wheelchair is borrowed from time to time, for several days or just a few hours (e.g. taking someone to vote in General Election!)

16. Activity for year ending May 2017
Transport 48%
Befriending 5%
Shopping %
Gardening 5%
Wheelchair <1%
Miscellaneous %
Transport arrangements 26%
Phone holding %
(We also keep a record of admin tasks undertaken – eg: website updating, client & relations, collection of stats., meetings etc)

17. Assignments

18. Phone Calls

19. Summary – how to keep it going
Maintain a good management group: share responsibilities
Encourage volunteers to feel involved and in touch
Help clients and volunteers to get to know each other and to feel part of the scheme
Use local resources to publicise the scheme and keep it in peoples’ minds
Use the RCC subsidy scheme
Keep monitoring and responding to changes in clients and volunteers
Find ways to raise sufficient funds
Use the experiences of others and always be ready to learn, develop and improve
Celebrate successes

20. Whissendine Good Neighbours Scheme (WGNS)