Welcome to the Time Bank Plus December Newsletter
We would like to invite you to our Xmas Lunch & Social, which will take place on Wednesday 18th December from 11.30am – 2pm in Twerton. This event is being organised in conjunction with our Wednesday Lunch Club. A delicious 2-course meal will be served and there will also be some optional festive games, singalong and other entertainment.
There is a charge of £6 per person (excluding volunteers) to cover the cost of the food. Please let us know if you would like to reserve a place, so that we can cater for the right number of people. Please also let us know if you have any special dietary needs. We very much hope you will be able to join us.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all those of you who have given your time, skills, care and energy to support our projects and activities this year. We are so grateful to the wonderful community of people here who help to keep our little charity going, despite limited staffing capacity at times this year.
‘Borrow It’ Library of Things
Our ‘Borrow It’ Library of Things offers a fantastic opportunity to access occasional-use items free of charge. We have a wide range of tools (eg drills & sanders), gardening equipment (including both hand tools and electrical tools), camping gear (eg tents & sleeping bags), crafts equipment (eg sewing machines), equipment for events (eg gazebo), home maintenance items (eg carpet cleaner), catering equipment, musical instruments and more. You can view the full catalogue on our website at www.timebankplus.co.uk.
If you are planning an Xmas gathering, you might like to borrow the urn, the chocolate fountain or perhaps some board games? Everything has been donated by local people and can be borrowed free of charge. What better way to save money, reduce the need for storage space and help reduce waste?
Borrow It is open whenever the Time Bank office is open. It may be best to ring us beforehand on 01225 442813 to make sure there will be someone available to help you.
We are looking for 1 or 2 volunteers with good practical skills to help check the equipment and tools and perhaps make some small repairs where needed.
Twerton Lunch Club, Wednesdays 11.30 to 2.00
Our very friendly and welcoming lunch club meets every Wednesday from 11.30 – 2.00 in Twerton. It costs just £6 for a freshly cooked, hot 2-course meal. We also have a varied programme of activities, including quizzes, games, musical entertainment, speakers, raffles and more. If you or someone you know might like to join us, just pop into the office, give us a ring on 01225 442813 or send an email to timebankplus@gmail.com – your first meal will be free of charge.
We are currently looking for a driver who can bring 2 of the less mobile members of the Lunch Club to the centre at 11.30am and take them home again around 2pm. There is a generous petrol allowance and you are welcome to stay for lunch if you like, at no cost. Please let us know if you may be able to help with this.
Bath Guitar Group, Thursdays 10:30 to 12.00
The guitar sessions are a lot of fun, with a good size group and expert guidance from Nick, the tutor. The group is suitable for beginners as well as more experienced players and there are occasional opportunities to perform. Music is emailed to members via Dropbox, so that you have the opportunity to print it out and practise at home.
The Guitar Group meets in Twerton on Thursdays from 10:30-12pm. To register for this group please email timebankplus@gmail.com or call the office on 01225 442813.
Time Bank Gardening Team, Tuesdays 10.00 to 12.30
The TB+ Gardening Team go out each Tuesday morning from 10.00 to 12.30 to help Time Bank members who are in need of gardening assistance. Training and supervision are provided by the Gardening Team Leader, Jennifer. The Gardening Team members work at their own pace alongside others, doing basic garden jobs. It’s a great opportunity to learn new skills and meet other people whilst doing something useful and worthwhile in the local community.
We’re always on the lookout for new members to join our gardening team, so if this is of interest to you please contact the office.
Time Bank Community Allotment & Garden
Our allotment is a beautiful plot on Bath City Farm, where participants can grow fruit, veggies, herbs and flowers. It’s a chance to get out in nature, connect with others, learn and share skills and enjoy some delicious home grown produce.
We also help to maintain a wildlife friendly community garden site just around the corner from the Time Bank. We would love to hear from anyone interested in helping to look after this little patch of land and keep it beautiful, productive and litter-free.
FeelGood Walks, Tuesdays 12:30 to 1:30
FeelGood Walks are a great opportunity to get out in nature, explore our local green spaces, meet other people and get a bit fitter. These walks are suitable for people of all levels of fitness and we will make sure that we go at a pace which is comfortable for you. We sometimes offer photography walks, look at places of historic interest or identify trees, plants and birdlife. Well behaved dogs are welcome on the walks. We leave from the Time Bank office at 86 High St, Twerton at 12.30 prompt. Contact us for further info or just turn up and join us.
Creative Writing for Everyone, Thursdays 10:30 to 11:30 (online via Zoom)
The Creative Writing Group is a small, friendly group of people who meet up online each week to practise and improve our creative writing skills. Some of us have never written before and others are more experienced. Our aim is for these sessions to be fun and to unleash our creative flow. Each week we do a short writing exercise during the session and then take a look at short stories or poems which members of the group have posted up during the week. Please email us for the Zoom link and the link to the Writing Forum.
Community Sharing Space
Our newest project is to open up the Time Bank centre to small groups of local people who would like to do an activity together, such as sewing, card making, a book group, knitting, board games, or simply having a friendly chat over coffee and biscuits. Each group will need to have a named co-ordinator and everyone will need to register with the Time Bank. If you have a suggestion for a group, or a skill you’d like to share, please do get in touch and we’ll try and help make it happen.
As a Time Bank, we encourage our participants to offer their time & skills to others, as and when it’s possible for them to do so.
Volunteers are currently needed for the following projects:
- Handyperson needed to put up shelves and do small repairs and other practical jobs at the Time Bank office and/or to help check and repair items in the Borrow It Library of Things.
- Driver needed for the Lunch Club on Wednesday mornings, to take people to and from the Club. Petrol allowance and a hot meal are provided.
- We are looking for people who would like to join our Management Committee. Some local knowledge or experience of community-based organisations would be ideal.
- Volunteer needed to help clean the Time Bank office once a fortnight.
Member’s Requests
- One of our members is in urgent need of a laptop computer in good working order. Please get in touch if you may be able to help.
Opportunities for paid work
We currently have opportunities for some temporary paid work over the next 4 – 6 months, with a possibility of further work depending on funding. This could be between 7 to 21 hours per week, depending on the person’s availability, experience and skillset.
The types of experience we are looking for include the following. (However it is not necessary for one person to have all these skills):
- Administrative, organisational & IT skills
- Experience of working with & supporting volunteers
- Groupwork skills
- Community development experience
- Practical skills
- Promotion & publicity skills
Please email us if you would like further details.
Time Bank Opening Times
Here are our current Opening Hours:
Monday CLOSED
Tuesday 10 - 4
Wednesday 10 – 4
Thursday CLOSED
Friday CLOSED
Keeping in touch
Ring us on 01225 442813 or email us at timebankplus@gmail.com You can also find us on Facebook here or pop in to the office and say hello during our opening hours. We look forward to hearing from you.