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PLEASE CALL IN!
A huge thank you to all the local people who responded to our recent call for help and stepped forward to volunteer as marshals at Ripon Racecourse Vaccination Centre. Thanks to your help, the vaccination programme has romped past its first target a couple of days early. The Racecourse also hit the national press with a feature in The Guardian at the weekend – click here to read it. Mo Marshall, an MCO volunteer who was there on the day of their visit, was even quoted. MCO is one of the community organisations working to manage the volunteer effort at Ripon, and although we didn’t get a name-check in the Guardian article, all the volunteers on that day were definitely from Masham Community Office, so thank you everyone!
On the same day, 600+ of our area’s most vulnerable people received their first vaccination from clinical staff brought in from Ripon and Masham GP practices, all with the support of our lovely volunteers. Many people are anxious, especially since so many of them haven’t left their homes or driven anywhere in nearly a year. The Vaccination Centre is located in the Racecourse bar and the mood so positive – it really seems to be giving everyone a lift, despite the fact that the bar is closed! Appointments begin at 8:30AM and finish at 6:00PM with the day organised into a morning and afternoon session with a shift change of staff and volunteers over lunch. Thanks to the efficient and enthusiastic team, the vaccinations run like clockwork with little or no waiting required.
Mashamshire Community Office Manager, Sarah McCourt, has been responsible for recruiting, checking and coordinating volunteers to cover one or sometimes two days per week. Following our initial appeal for help 3 weeks ago, Sarah was swamped with over 200 responses – thanks to social media, the call out when a bit further than we wanted, with people from Skipton, York and Ilkley desperate to help. She has now distilled our volunteer pool down to a team of around 70, more local people and, where possible, referred others to their local voluntary organisations. A big thank you goes to Sarah too – it has been a huge amount of extra work much of which she’s done in her own time.
The Racecourse itself is a perfect site and everyone is very grateful to be able to come to somewhere so handy. However, getting traffic and pedestrians in and out safely is not straightforward. It takes 13 volunteer marshals for each shift – 26 volunteers a day. The volunteer roles are a mix of inside and out and have been prescribed by the NHS. From greeting people and checking appointment times on the gate, to controlling traffic flow, car parking, reassuring people, shepherding them through the vaccination process, monitoring the observation area and assisting people with limited mobility – they are all roles that are essential to enable the clinical staff to get the jabs done.
Of course in Masham, we always go above and beyond. So, when a lady arrived with a flat tyre last Thursday, our dedicated team of car parking marshals swung into action. By the time she’d emerged from her vaccination, our crack team had performed quick wheel change. She was impressed of course…but she didn’t see the amount of head-scratching and chin-rubbing involved in locating the spare!
All in all, despite the weather, we’re all enjoying getting out, doing something really useful and having a bit of much-needed banter.
We now have confirmation of a more local Vaccination Centre in Ripon. Mashamshire Community Office has been asked to recruit and coordinate volunteers to support the Ripon centre.
This is going to be a big job – the more people who can help, the more we can share the load between us.
There’s been lots of speculation about the location, but it will actually be at Ripon Racecourse and will be getting up and running as soon as next week.
Plans are still coming together but this is what we know so far:
• We need a team of marshals to support a day a week
• Likely to be needed from 2nd week in Feb
• Days could vary but Tue or Wed have been suggested
• Two sessions – 8am – 1.15pm and 1pm – 6pm
• 10 volunteers needed per session
• Duties include directing traffic and guiding people once inside
• All PPE and hi-vis will be provided
• DBS check not required
If you would like to volunteer or require more information, please contact Sarah McCourt on 01765 680200 or email mco@visitmasham.com
The more people who step forward, the more we can share the load.
P.S. Unfortunately, if people have already had a vaccination at Harrogate, their 2nd visit will still need to be at Harrogate as far as we know.
AS OF THE 12TH APRIL WE ARE OPEN Mon – Fri 9:00am to 3:00pm Sat 10.00am-1.30pm
We are open for:
Masham Community Library – Restricted Browsing and Select & Collect (Mon-Fri 10am-12pm)
PLEASE NOTE CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR CLOSING TIMES – WE WILL BE CLOSED FROM 12.30PM ON THURSDAY 24TH DECEMBER AND WE RE-OPEN AT 10AM ON MONDAY 4TH JANUARY 2021.
Mashamshire Community Office has been selected as one of three Masham-based causes to benefit from the Co-op’s Local Community Fund. This means, if you have a Co-op card, when you buy Co-op branded products and services, the Co-op will give us a helping hand.
Click here to register as a Co-op member if you haven’t done already.
BUT… you need to SELECT US as your chosen cause.
So, if you’re already a Co-op member, make sure you click here to select us as your cause.
HOW WILL WE USE THE FUNDS?
We want to thank and celebrate all our volunteers and generate more interest in getting involved in supporting Masham and our community.
This year has been a challenge for all communities. Thanks to some amazing volunteers who’ve stepped up, the Community Office has risen to the challenge. They deserve our thanks for helping us to…
– Keep you all well-informed via the twice weekly newsletter, the Mashamshire Life Facebook Group and the Visitmasham.com website
– Provide hundreds vital prescription collections or shopping trips for people unable to go out
– Make activities available like craft kits to do at home and the book and jigsaw lending service to keep people busy – all in a Covid-secure way
– Pull out all the stops to make the Community Library services available, first via “Select & Collect”, then browsing
– Keep people connected via the public Internet access PCs
– Provide advice about Council Services and signposting to specialist help
– Keep local businesses informed about vital help, guidelines for safe operating and most of all, helping them to promote themselves and keep going
What we’ll do…
Once we’re out the other side of this crisis, Mashamshire Community Office will use the funds raised by the Co-op to arrange an event to celebrate the wonderful work of our volunteers during the pandemic. We will also research what help is needed within our community and organise a campaign to recruit and train new volunteers who want to work together and have a positive impact on our community and its wellbeing into the future.
If you would like to volunteer please email Sarah mco@visitmasham.com.
Having something to focus on, particularly something practical and creative can be a great tonic. We all know how hard this year has been and, as we go into the long winter of bad weather and short days, we thought some crafty activities would be a great pick-me-up!
Thanks to a small amount of funding from NYCC Stronger Communities, we set out to find craft activities that could be done at home to help keep spirits up. Many in our community have been robbed of company or their usual activities by this pandemic. So, with limited funds and with the help of other Mashamshire community organisations, including the Churches, Maple Creek, Wednesday Welcome Centre and the WI, we found 94 people to receive a dose of our crafty tonic.
Sarah and Judy at the Community Office worked hard to put together a range of activities to suit both experienced and ambitious crafters, as well as the more inexperienced looking to have a go.
Activities ranged from felt making, collage and rag rugging kits, all provided by professional tutors from ArtisOn in Masham (pictured above), to more straightforward projects such as card making or colouring that would be accessible to everyone, and even some small woodworking and metalworking projects.
The Community Office has been piled high with craft bags for weeks – here’s the WI’s pile of kits awaiting collection.
All craft kits have been delivered over the past week or so by volunteers. Below are a handful of the residents at Maple Creek taking delivery of theirs.
We hope they are enjoyed, and we are inviting participants to send us photos of their progress. Fingers crossed for a Covid Craft Exhibition as soon as we can do it safely in 2021!
Please email photos to info@visitmasham.com or drop off at the Community Office.
Just arrived at The Blue Light Gallery at Mashamshire Community Office… A selection of new mug designs to choose from. Perfect stocking fillers! All showcase the image of Masham created by local artist Rob Blades for our fondly remembered “unofficial” Masham A1 sign.
Only a small number of each design available so don’t delay.
Did you know that all sales from the Blue Light Gallery at Mashamshire Community Office, benefit not only the local artists and makers (all who’ve had a very challenging year), but also support the work of the Community Office too?
Being short of volunteers, then thwarted by the November lockdown, the Blue Light Gallery hasn’t lit up much since March… But we’re certainly flashing now… our doors are open, and we’re packed with lovely last-minute gift ideas and stocking fillers.
A selection work from Blue Light regulars including Masham glass artist, David Teece, who’s based at the Garden Studio, in Masham; cards, prints and original work from Thirn-based painter and pastel artist Jo Garlick – best known for her beautiful animals and landscapes; Lorraine Garlick, also in Thirn, who makes gorgeous handmade books using her own artwork and prints; Ripon-based jewellery maker Rae Fin with a selection of her unique and functional silver jewellery; Julie Amanda Designs who brings nature into your home with some striking and highly useful items depicting stunning images of the natural world and local artist Jane Redfern with her hand painted cards.
We are also lucky to have the work of Masham Community Office stalwarts, Judy and Paul Fuller with their selection of hand turned wooden items, Christmas decorations and cards – 100% of sales of these go the Community Office…and if you’re still short of Christmas cards (there are so many people to thank this year!) we have a selection of cards on sale for Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
They all need your support so please, pay us a socially distanced visit!
Throughout December during office hours – 10am till 3pm weekdays and 10am till 1.30pm Sat.
Final shopping day Wed 23 December. NOT OPEN ON SUNDAYS
Would you be interested in joining the Team North Yorkshire Volunteers?
It is becoming apparent that the Covid response will be continuing throughout this winter period and therefore there will likely be a need to support vulnerable communities during this time.
To be prepared North Yorkshire County Council is seeking volunteers to be ‘on standby’ should the need arise to help provide welfare to local communities. As we can’t predict what will happen with Covid over the coming months, we don’t know if/how much we may need volunteers, but there could be an urgent need for additional to help over the Christmas holiday period.
If you are interested in volunteering for Team North Yorkshire please contact Melissa.Humpleby@northyorks.gov.uk
Our aim is to keep our small rural community, which has so much to offer, alive, active and vibrant for all those who live and visit here. Click here to find out about our services or call in and see us any time. Click here for more information about advertising with us.
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Little Market Place, Masham, HG4 4DY / Tel: 01765 680200
