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March News from the Time Bank

Writer's picture: Simon PruttonSimon Prutton

March update from Time Bank Plus

Spring is on its way, the days are getting longer and it’s lovely to see the first daffodils, primroses and early blossom arriving to greet the sun. With the vaccination programme in full swing, it’s also great to have a roadmap to the end of Lockdown, and although we’re not there yet, by the end of the month we hope to be able to re-start some of our outdoor group activities like gardening, food growing and Feelgood Walks.

Photography Challenge

We challenge you to take part in a monthly photography contest. The subject this month is ‘Animals & other Creatures’. That includes insects, frogs & toads, birds, foxes or whatever else you budding photographers come across. It’s a perfect excuse to get out in nature with your camera or mobile phone. Please send us your photos by email to timebankplus@gmail.com. Your entries will be uploaded onto an Instagram forum.

Growing Your Own at Home

That’s the title of a new 4-week online gardening course which Rowan is planning to run this month via Zoom on Mondays from 1.30 – 2.30pm. The course is suitable for anyone with an interest in growing their own food at home. No prior experience is needed. The course will include growing things on windowsills, in small pots, as well as in gardens or allotments, We expect the course will start on 8th March, but are still waiting for final confirmation from the Wellbeing College, so please email us if you would like to join.

Online Art Group

‘Art for Everyone’ is another Zoom course we are co-ordinating in conjunction with the Wellbeing College. Designed to bring out your imagination and creativity, the course is suitable for everyone including complete beginners. Sessions take place on Tuesday mornings and there are still spaces available. If you’d like to give it a go, please click on this link to register: https://www.wellbeingcollegebanes.co.uk/index.php/Activity/art-for-everyone-online/8094

Feelgood Walks

Walking in nature is a great way to enhance your mood and keep fit and healthy. This month we are able to offer 1:1 walks on alternate Wednesdays or may be able to pair you up with another walker. As from the beginning of April, group walks of up to 6 people should be possible again. Please get in touch if you would like to join us.

Southside Food Co-op

The Food Co-op provides boxes of fresh, locally grown vegetables every other Wednesday, and delivers them to your home. This is available to anyone living in South or West Bath (eg Twerton, Whiteway, Odd Down, Oldfield Park, Newbridge & Lower Weston).

The produce is all freshly picked and grown mostly on the edge of Bath near Solsbury Hill. The price, for those people on a lowish income (below £18,000 pa for a single person, £25,000 for a couple or £30,000 for a family), is £4.50 for a small box, £5.50 for a medium box and £7 for a large box. For those who are better off, we charge £6 for a small box, £7 for a medium box and £9 for a large box. All these prices include the cost of delivery. We use any surplus raised to provide veggies to those in urgent need.

Please email timebankplus@gmail.com if you’d like to order a veg box and please provide a phone number for us to contact you. We will need at least 2 days’ notice. Payment needs to be in advance by bank transfer or direct debit.

Borrow It

Please Note: The Borrow It Library of Things is now open on Wednesdays only - from 10am to 2 pm. Please ring beforehand on 01225 442813 or email timebankplus@gmail.com to let us know what you’d like to borrow, so we can prepare it for you. We have a wide range of gardening equipment, DIY tools, camping gear, sewing machines, carpet cleaner, kitchen items and more. Click here for further info and our catalogue of things: http://timebankplus.co.uk/wp/?page_id=586

We are looking for someone who would like use of a roof box, which can be attached to roof bars on your car. It’s been donated to Borrow It but is a bit too large to store in our office. The person who takes it needs to be willing to house it and make it available for occasional Borrow It use, but would have free use of it the rest of the time.

Regular Zoom groups

Please email us if you would like the joining link to any of the following groups. We’d also love to hear from anyone who’d like to set up or lead a group.

Mondays (fortnightly)

12.30 – 1.30pm Knit & Natter Zoom Group. Get out your wool and knitting needles or crochet hook, make a cup of tea and sit down for a friendly online session with a small group of others. Expert advice is available if needed. Sessions this month are on 1st March, 15th March & 29th March.

Tuesdays (weekly)

3.30 – 4.30 pm Sewing Workshops. These feel good sessions are taking place every week. Most of the sewing projects can be done by hand, but there may also be some workshops which involve using a sewing machine. If needed, a machine can be borrowed from the Time Bank.

Thursdays (weekly)

10.30 – 11.30am Creative Writing Zoom Group. This is a very friendly and supportive group of people who are writing and sharing short pieces of prose or poetry. There is a different topic each week and we have an online forum where members of the group can post up their writings. (See below for a piece of writing from one of our members).

Fridays (weekly)

2 – 3pm Time Bank Social Café, Quiz & Games. Brighten up your Fridays and meet with others for a chat, a light hearted quiz or some simple games.

IT Assistance

Going online has never been so important! If you, or others you know, need help with setting up Whatsapp, Zoom or other apps, or with other IT troubleshooting, please let us know and one of our volunteers may be able to help you. We’d also love to hear from anyone with good IT skills who is interested in volunteering to assist others.

Keeping in touch

We are continuing to keep in touch with our members and offer regular or occasional phone calls to anyone who’d like a friendly, supportive chat. This can be particularly helpful to those people who don’t have a smartphone or internet.

If you aren’t already in our Whatsapp group, do join us. It’s such a good way to keep in touch with each other, share information or ask for help. Just email timebankplus@gmail.com with your mobile number and we’ll add you to the group.

There is also a separate Foraging WhatsApp group, where we share info about wild foods, recipes and cookery tips.

IMPORTANT: Member Survey

Many thanks to those of you who have filled in our updated Skills & Services Questionnaire. If you have not already done so, PLEASE do fill this in, as we rely on this information in order to be able to run the Time Bank effectively. Here is the link: https://forms.gle/QPaJRX8bJv6YSTwg7

Volunteering opportunities (summary)

We are currently looking for: IT support; assistance with Zoom groups such as Online Games, Scrabble and Cookery Workshops; an occasional driver for our Food Co-op; volunteers interested in leading or assisting with our Feelgood Walks. We are also looking for a Treasurer for our Management Committee. Please get in touch if you can help.

Here are some activities for over 55’s, currently being run by St John’s: https://stjohnsbath.org.uk/what-we-do/activities/

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