Age UK Oxfordshire TODAY ““Without their help I simply would not have been able to manage”. Said one of our grateful clients in a thank you letter to Age UK Oxfordshsire’s Home Support Team. "while recovering from a hip replacement operation, they took me to hospital, they did my housework, they did my shopping. I am deeply grateful for the friendly help I received through the Banbury Centre." The staff and volunteers of Age UK Oxfordshire, based at 5 White Lion Walk, Banbury, OX16 5UD, want to let everyone in Banbury and District know what we can do to help older people locally. We have recently launched a major campaign, known as "Age UK Oxfordshire TODAY", to raise awareness of and funds for the services we provide. These include :- free Information and Advice on a range of matters from benefits and housing to care, legal issues, dementia and much more; One-to-One Computer Classes tailored to your precise needs, costing £5 per hour, held at our White Lion Walk Centre; Phone Friends service whereby a volunteer befriends lonely or isolated older people and rings them up weekly for a friendly chat; Home Support service arranges for someone to visit people at home, for a modest fee, to help with jobs such as shopping, light housework or simply to have a chat. Transport to the doctor, hospital or to take you shopping can also be arranged; Group Activities are held at our Centre and include Book Club, Knit and Natter, a Singing Group and free monthly Films are shown in Friday afternoons; Insurance Services tailor-made for the over 50s cover Home, Car and Travel; Electricity, Wills and Funeral Plans can all be arranged through Age UK Oxfordshire; Help for Carers. for further information, please feel free to ring us on 01295-278040 between 10am and 4pm Monday to Friday or just call in to the Centre at 5 White Lion Walk, Banbury. Age UK Oxfordshire always welcomes new Volunteers to help with a variety of tasks. If you have an hour or two to spare, please call us on 01295-278040 or call in to the Centre. Fundraising is of major importance to us in order to maintain our help and advice services. We receive less than 2% funding from Age UK nationally and so have to raise all our funds ourselves. If you could be a Fundraiser in any way, for instance by signing up to a regular donation or by hosting an event for us, please come in to the Centre or give us a call. Our big new campaign, "Age UK Oxfordshire TODAY", aims to raise £50,000 a year for 5 years to enable us to continue providing the invaluable services we offer. This campaign is supported by patrons Sir Tony Baldry MP, Sir Frank Davies, Esther Rantzen, and Tom Blinkhorn as well as Banbury Town Mayor Cllr Nicholas Turner, The Banbuary Guardian, Godswell Park Care Home, DHL, Barclays Bank Banbury branch and others. In 2009, the charities Age Concern and Help the Aged combined under the new name of Age UK. The purpose of Age UK is to provide advice, services and assistance to everyone and anyone over the age of 50. We look forward to welcoming you into our White Lion Walk Cafe one day soon and hope you will find lots to interest you. Please tell you friends about us.

Volunteer Connect runs a volunteer driving scheme throughout Cherwell, providing transport to those people with problems accessing public transport to get to important appointments. The cost is 45p per mile, which goes to the volunteer driver to cover the cost of petrol. We also need more drivers! This can be a very rewarding experience, helping those within the community to travel to hospitals, GPs, dentists, podiatrists etc.  It is not an onerous commitment, as it is on as “as and when” basis. To find out more please call 0300 3030 125, or email pip.dealtry@volunteerconnect.org.uk