The Good Neighbour Scheme for Mill Hill and Burnt Oak

Registered Charity No. 1130578

Our Purpose

The Good Neighbour Scheme is a visible expression of local churches working together to provide assistance to the elderly and less able in our community. The GNS runs two lunch clubs, organises volunteer drivers to provide lifts to surgeries, local hospitals and clinics, runs a weekly shopping bus, and offers befriending and small gardening services. 

Email: goodneighbours@yahoo.co.uk

http://thegoodneighboursschememhbo.com

For further information contact:

The Wilberforce Centre,
St Paul’s Church,
The Ridgeway,
Mill Hill,
London
NW7 1QU

Telephone: +44 (0)20 8906 3340

Office hours: Weekdays 9am to 1pm

Coordinator: Jeanette Poulton

Sacred Heart Parish Representative: Joan Leith

Annual General Meeting

Our AGM is on Monday 7th November at 7.30pm at the Wilberforce Centre at St.Paul's Church. Trustees, clergy and voting church representatives have already been notified, but volunteers and other interested parties are most welcome. The format will be a short AGM, followed by a buffet supper and group discussions. We would be grateful if you could phone the office on 8906 3340 if you are joining us, for catering purposes. Jeanette Poulton

Vote for GNS!

The Good Neighbour Scheme for Mill Hill and Burnt Oak has applied for a NatWest Community Force award and is in with a chance to win one of three area awards of £6000! It will be up to the public to decide who they want to receive the money. Voting is open until Sunday 23rd October. Please vote for GNS at
www.communityforce.natwest.com/project/5440  You will need to register giving your name, email address and a made up password. Their free help desk is 0800 2100 246.

Minibus Service

A minibus service organised by the the Good Neighbour Scheme for Mill Hill and Burnt Oak runs to Brent Cross or Morrison's in Queensbury every Monday morning. It is able to transport those for whom steps are a problem. Simple to use motorised scooters can be ordered in advance for use in Brent Cross.

If you live in Mill Hill or Burnt Oak, have difficulty using public transport, but can shop unassisted once at the centre, and would like to be considered for the scheme, please contact the office.

Luncheon Club

The Good Neighbour Scheme for Mill Hill and Burnt Oak runs a small friendly Luncheon Club on Tuesdays at: The Wilberforce Centre, St Paul's Church, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London NW7 1QU, starting at 12.00 noon. A two course hot meal, with a cup of tea or coffee costs £3.00. The Good Neighbour Scheme also offers less mobile people a chance to try out the Tuesday Luncheon Club. This has been made possible because of several large donations, which have enabled us to hire a minibus and driver to collect people from their homes fortnightly. We often have a few places to spare on the minibus. If you are interested, further details can be obtained from the GNS office.

Since last October, The Good Neighbour Scheme has been running a pilot Lunch Club in Burnt Oak. We are now delighted to report that we have received funding from The City Bridge Trust, for the next three years, thus ensuring the future of the club. It runs on Thursdays, term time only, from 12 to 2pm, and new members are welcome. A two-course hot lunch, plus tea or coffee in pleasant surroundings, is available for £3.50, in the Catholic Church Hall Burnt Oak. If you or someone you know in the Burnt Oak or Mill Hill area would like more information, please contact the GNS Office.

Update - September 2011 - We are delighted (and somewhat relieved) to have two more qualified minibus drivers to help with transporting our older clients to our lunch clubs at Annunciation Church, Burnt Oak and St. Paul's, Mill Hill. Well done Trish and Richard! This will be a tremendous help when lunch clubs start back again in September, and will be much cheaper than having to hire a paid minibus driver, though of course we still pay to hire the vehicle and have a fuel bill!

Besides the day to day running of the scheme which is going well, at present our efforts are centred around securing funding to retain our development worker, Valerie Ross and to make up the short fall from Barnet's cut backs which GNS, along with all voluntary groups, has felt. J.K. one of our new GNS Trustees will be leading a session on Befriending in September/October. We welcome anyone who is interested to phone the office for further information. (Jeanete Poulton 8906 3340)

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