TIMEBANK organisers in Warwickshire have created an animation to explain how the voluntary scheme works.
Warwickshire County Council’s timebank initiative lets residents help others in their community and be rewarded for it by the mutual exchange of time in the form of credits – one hour for one credit.
The scheme is open to people of any age, ability and background and everyone’s time is valued equally.
Credits can be spent to purchase other members’ skills or services, or bank them to use in the future. Alternatively, they can be donated to the community pot to help others.
Help and activities can include anything from help with household tasks like putting pictures on a wall, to support with completing business paperwork, to learning Spanish.
And Warwickshire County Council is calling on communities to create timebanks where they do not already exist, and for individuals to join their local timebanks where they are up and running.
All volunteers will be given guidance to ensure they have the support and skills they need by their local Time4Warwickshire timebank.
County councillor Heather Timms said: “Timebanking provides a brilliant opportunity to support your neighbours and help your community get better and stronger as we start to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Volunteers already make a huge contribution to our county and there are many ways in which we can support our friends, families, colleagues and communities.
“Timebanking is a fantastic way of using your skills to help others, getting help for things you need and, most wonderfully of all, continuing to make a difference in your community.
“With six timebanks already, Warwickshire’s timebanking offer is set to make a difference, but there will be great community benefits when there are more schemes across the county.
“Time4Warwickshire desperately needs local groups to run our timebanks. Be part of this expanding community network and help improve our lives in Warwickshire, one hour at a time.”
Time4Warwickshire works in partnership with Timebanking UK and is part of a self-support network of 250 timebanks across the country, providing help and support through the pandemic to aid recovery.
Timebanking can be accessed through a computer, mobile app, or a telephone call. Visit https://tinyurl.com/96w94mvb for more information.
Anybody thinking of joining or setting up a timebank in their area can email Time4Warwickshire’s Mick Spicer on [email protected] or search ‘Time4Warwickshire’ on Facebook.
