Trio of Village Agents sign up to help the community

THREE new volunteers have joined the expanding team of Village Agents who are the “trusted face” within their community, providing information for elderly or socially isolated residents.

Newbury district councillor Graham Jones (Con, Lambourn Valley) welcomed the new trio and presented them with their satchels at an inauguration ceremony last Thursday at Volunteer Centre West Berkshire, Bolton Place, Newbury.

Brian Barnes will join the team in Thatcham and both Robert Lewis and Martin Allport are heading up a new team to operate in Speen.

The West Berkshire Village Agent scheme was set up in 2013, developed and managed by the Volunteer Centre West Berkshire, and funded in partnership with West Berkshire Council department of health and wellbeing.

The Village Agent project aims to increase and improve the ways in which people can find and benefit from services in rural areas and volunteers assist and provide information to vulnerable and socially isolated people within their communities.

For information on Village Agents, call (01635) 49004 or visit www.villageagentswb.org.uk