Voluntary body in south London draws crowds of enthusiasts

DAVID CAMERON wants to create the Big Society, but in Southwark in south London a model already exists that has drawn in higher numbers than predicted of volunteers and of those who need their help since its creation last year.

Called Southwark Circle, the organisation is cheaply run, and simple in construct: people over the age of 50 pay a £10 annual fee and they can then avail of security-checked helpers, some paid, some not – to get services carried out.

“The jobs done are endless: we call them the things that you need to get done so that you can live,” its head, Daniel Dickens told The Irish Times yesterday. “Everything from hedges, to fallen curtains, accompanied- hospital visits, the TV satellite, or getting a Facebook page set up for someone who wants to keep in touch with their grandkids, whatever.” Each service is paid for, but the fees are minor. People signed up for the service, who must be over 50, can buy three tokens for £30, or five for £45, with each token buying an hour of the volunteers’ time, or those who have been recruited by the circle on London’s “living wage”.

“We find that there is a dignity for people when they are paying for a service, as long as it is affordable,” said Dickens, particularly for men who are usually reluctant to call on the help of anyone.

Tokens can also be purchased by family and friends of a member; offering a useful present, but, equally, bringing assurance for relatives living far away that a loved one has someone to call in time of need.

The circle is run by five people in the community and funded by the revenue from the tokens, along with grants from Southwark Council and Participle, a group that has raised £20 million in recent years to fund services like the one available in Southwark.

Every volunteer and helper is checked thoroughly beforehand, but, just as importantly, the circle speaks with the helper and the helped subsequently to make sure that everything went properly, said Mr Dickens.

The circle also runs events: museum and exhibition visits, cinemas, etc, drawing in people who would ordinarily shy away from such groupings.