VOLUNTEER CORNER

SOME Wokingham Borough Council libraries are supported by the local community, meaning that volunteers are needed to support customers and deliver site services.

This volunteering role requires volunteers to issue, return and shelve books as well as shelf tidy. Volunteers work in teams and are expected to provide friendly customer service on-site.

Spencers Wood Library is open Monday to Saturday weekly. Volunteers are required to commit to a certain number of hours at this site per month. This role is flexible with weekly or monthly shifts on one or several of the days listed.

There will always be more than one volunteer on site to ensure you are supported.

Volunteers will be given a minimum of four weeks training after a site induction.

All volunteers will be required to complete WBC MyLearning training and a basic DBS check before the commencement of volunteering.

All volunteers are supported by the WBC Libraries team. Applicants must be 21 and over.

■ The Wokingham Transport Scheme needs you. All you need is your own car – there is no cost to you as we reimburse all your expenses.

We are looking for drivers who can provide transport for older people to attend vital medical appointments such as hospitals, local doctors, dentists, opticians, and physiotherapists.

Drivers help with one-off social trips, such as shopping and visiting friends/family in hospital/care homes, and more regular social trips such as to a lunch club or activity which may involve dropping them of and picking them up later.

Time commitment can be very flexible. If you live in Wokingham, Finchampstead, Winnersh, Barkham or Earley and cam help, please get in touch.

You must have a full driving licence and own car. No specialist car insurance is needed. Commitment is ongoing and we ideally need one day minimum per week of your time. The vast majority of our drives are weekdays and daytimes, so your availability would need to align with this.

■ At ABC to read we believe life is better when everyone can read and express themselves confidently. Our trained reading mentors provide children with the skills and confidence they need to do just that.

A decline in the percentage of Berkshire children achieving the expected level for reading in the recently published Key Stage 2 SATs results, local charity ABC (Assisting Berkshire Children) to read is keen to do all it can to help schools and families in the borough to raise children’s achievement.

Once volunteers are trained, they are matched up with a local school. Commitment is ideally twice a week for one-and-a-half hours in the afternoons, but once a week will be considered. The role is extremely rewarding, gains the volunteer new skills and strengthens our community.

■ If you are interested in any of these roles or would like to discuss volunteering in general, et in touch with our Volunteer Services Manager, Helena Badger on: 0118 977 0749 or email: volunteer@wok-vol.org. uk. To see all of volunteering roles, please visit www. volunteerwokinghamborough.org.uk