Coffee Morning success

An appeal has gone out to people prepared to spend some of their spare time with the residents at what is a haven for Alderney's old folk.

More volunteers are needed at the Connaught which is being extended to cope with an ageing population which is increasing.

Several people came forward during a coffee morning organised to showcase the work of the care home and it's future plans, but Liz Bowskill, who manages the Connaught said: "We are always looking for more." She explained: "We need people who enjoy listening to and talking to older adults. Volunteers are a very important part of our dedicated team and they will tell you that it is very rewarding. Many people don't think they have the skills that are needed, but we can give them training to help them develop those skills so that they can enrich the lives of our residents for as little as an hour or half an hour a week."

Recruiting volunteers and potential new staff was high on the agenda of the coffee morning which may become a regular event.

Held in one of the Jean-Paul Duplain's shops in Victoria street, it attracted a steady stream of visitors as Islanders joined care home staff for a cake and a 'cuppa' and a chat about the extent of the services offered by the care home.

A steady flow of visitors helped to raise £267 towards 'extras' for the residents, were able to talk about the new 10-room extension at the Connaught and hear about the Open day on December 10th to mark it's 20 years as a limited company.

"It was a massive success," said Liz Bowskill. "We were well supported by the community and it is something we may do more often to keep everyone up to date on the work we are doing."

Many people who came along were surprised that we provide as many services as we do and we were very grateful for their support."

As well as offering 24-hour care for the residents, the Connaught also provides Home Care (Domiciliary care in the home), Day Care Services for people to have a bath and a meal, and can also be the main 24-hour contact centre for Lifeline which provides emergency buzzers for vulnerable people in their homes.

Original Article from Alderney Journal by MB