A year on from the launch of Rotherham Pay it Forward, the initiative is blossoming into a real good news story for the Rotherham voluntary and community sector. Participants are truly invested in supporting each other, through sharing resources and acts of peer support. To celebrate this one-year milestone, the team decided to tie in with Pay it Forward Day and hold an event. The aim is to create a ripple effect of supportive good deeds in the sector.
With the support of Vicar Phil Batchford, the Rotherham Pay it Forward team held a stall style event in the historic Rotherham Minster, on 29th April. Here participants could network and share information to build bridges in the sector and increase sustainability.
The ten local Rotherham charities / voluntary groups who manned the stalls are: Be Cancer Safe, Get Healthy Rotherham, Northern College, Rotherham Minster Time Builders, Rotherham Sight and Sound, Rotherham United Community Sports Trust, Rotherham Volunteer Centre, SENSE Rotherham, Walk Rotherham and Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
Sector professionals who dropped in on the day met stallholders; to network and explore paying it forward.
Feedback following the event has been fantastic. The Community Engagement Officer for Rotherham Sight and Sound said: “We are arranging for our clients to go to the Timebuilder’s Knitting group and hopefully arranging some joint craft sessions. We have identified other organisations and outlets for promoting the support services of RSS and also had useful suggestions for attracting more volunteer sighted guides for the ‘My Guide’ service we are trying to build at RSS. We also have new contacts for guest speakers to talk at our regular coffee mornings and opportunities to visit groups to talk about the services of RSS.”
For people unable to take part on the day, it is not too late to become involved. Regular networking events are held at Voluntary Action Rotherham. In addition, if eligible (a Rotherham based charity or voluntary group) you may join the register of needs and pledges at any time. No need or pledge is too small. To sign up visit the website www.varotherham.org.uk/rotherham-pay-it-forward.
Rotherham Pay it Forward would like to thank:
- Rotherham Minster for the pledge of a venue
- Tesco Stores for sponsoring the event with cakes and refreshments
- Rotherham Community Sports Trust for the pledge of a projector screen
- RMBC which is a supporter
For more information contact email triage@varotherham.org.uk or call 01709 726891.