Newent Association for the Disabled
The Association was founded in 1981 by Trudie Sheppard and Sheppard House was opened in 1995. This is a modern purpose built day centre serving Newent’s elderly and disabled residents, providing excellent food, various activities, entertainment, and visits to the theatre and places of interest. Holidays are organized at specially built holiday homes for visitors and their carers.
An extension housing 2 fully equipped special needs bathrooms plus chiropody, hairdressing and physiotherapy facilities was added to Sheppard House in 2007. There are bathing attendants on hand to help those in need to enjoy a cleansing and soothing bath..
Dial-A-Ride is a door-to-door transport service for shopping, social visits, doctor/dentist appointments, hairdressing and hospital appointments. The service operates as far as Gloucester, Cinderford and Tewkesbury. Last year this service, with eleven specially adapted buses, covered 38,000 miles. The dial-a-ride also runs vehicles to SEN schools in the county, transporting 40 - 50 children daily.
The Newent Shuttle is a scheduled minibus service offering a regular local bus service to and from Newent’s shops and supermarket. The bus also runs two trips a week to 3 Shires Garden Centre on the outskirts of the town.
The Association's Charity Shop, which has been resited at "The Old Shambles" in Church Street sells items at affordable prices and stock is replenished daily.This shop has combined with the One Stop Shop and features a bus stop for Dial-a-Ride and the Shuttle users. The shop is run by volunteers and the funds generated support the services at Sheppard House and Dial-A-Ride. The Charity Shop also houses tourist information including leaflets and an out of hours touch screen facility.Some of the additional storage space at the Charity Shop has been loaned to local art and crafts people that wish to display and sell their crafts and other goods, thereby helping the community that supports their local charity. .
01531 821227
www.sheppardhouse.org.uk
Highfields Residential Care Home
Highfields was established in 1981 as a residential care home for the elderly and is situated a few minutes from the centre of Newent.
At Highfields there are twenty seven single rooms, many of which have en-suite facilities, a care unit, lift to all floors, an aviary and lovely peaceful private gardens to the rear. Special diets are catered for and home cooked meals are of a high standard.
Staff are encouraged to train to NVQ standards.Residents are welcome to bring their own possessions to make them feel at home right from the start.
Manager: 01531 821007
Fair Shares
Fair Shares, a Charitable Trust, was set up in January 1998 to explore the practical applications of using time as a currency to form links within communities in the UK. Learning from the achievements of 'Time Dollar' schemes, which now operate in over 200 communities across the USA, Fair Shares has six time banks working within Gloucestershire.
In our everyday working life our skills have a market value, for example, an hour of legal advice costs a lot more than an hour of child care. Fair Shares puts no market value on services but uses time as a currency. Therefore, no matter what service is offered or what skill is needed to deliver it everyone's hour of time is valued the same - you give an hour and you get an hour back.
To take part you don't need special qualifications, you don't need money - members are bound only by a moral obligation to help out someone else somewhere along the line.
Membership has grown to over 40 people from Newent and many of the surrounding villages.
Gardening continues to be very popular but more unusual and equally popular services include Aural Training and Stress Management.We now open the Chill Out Zone Cafe every Tuesday for Coffee and Cakes. All are welcome and we have a range of activities for the under 5's. Once a month all fair Shares participants are invited for talks and workshops. You do not have to be a member to participate in these events.
We are organizing regular updates and talks with other organizations around the Newent area and our next participants coffee morning is on Tuesday 15th December, attendees can make creative presents and decorations as well as enjoying a bring and share party.
Not sure what we are or how to join? Then join us on Tuesday mornings to find out how you can be involved or contact Nikki or Teresa on 01531 820224 fairsharesfod@btconnect.com
Fair Shares also has a detailed website at www.fairshares.org.uk.
Retirement Living at Daffodil Court
Daffodil Court is a retirement development of 46 one and two bedroom apartments located on the High Street in Newent.
Built by Britain’s leading retirement builder McCarthy & Stone, Daffodil Court is designed for the over 60’s offering security, independence and companionship.
McCarthy & Stone have been building retirement apartments for over 30 years, during which time 45,000 people have moved into their apartments across the country.
Each apartment at Daffodil Court is connected to a 24-hour emergency Careline system and a camera entry system at the main entrance. Communal facilities include a residents’ lounge, laundry room, a lift to all floors and landscaped gardens. There is also a guest suite where visiting family and friends can stay overnight.
Maintenance such as gardening and external repairs is carried out by a team of professionals and all managed by the house manager who has the responsibility of running the development.
If you would like more information about the lifestyle on offer at Daffodil Court, please call McCarthy & Stone on 01531 820383 or alternatively drop in - the sales office is open everyday from 10.30am to 5pm.
Village Agents
Providing older people in Gloucestershire's rural communities with easier access to information and services
The village agent will bridge the gap between the local community and those statutory and voluntary organizations able to offer help or support where required. Village Agents will act as a facilitator in the provision of high quality information, promote access to a wide range of services, carry out a series of practical checks and identify unmet need in the community. through training and access to appropriate information resources, the Village Agents will develop their capacity to provide a service within their communities both in the long and longer-term.
Village Agents have been recruited locally, trained and supported to provide face to face information and support which enables individuals to make informed choices about their future needs. The service will be provided primarily to older people (50+), but other disadvantaged and isolated people will also be able to receive Village Agent support.
There are 30 Village Agents operating countywide each covering a 'cluster' of parishes in the Forest of Dean District there are 6 Village Agents.
Sallyanne Batchelor: 07810 630 212
Bromsberrow, Oxenhall, Gorsley & Kilcot, Kempley, Cliffords Mesne, Dymock
sallyanne@villageagent.grcc.org.ukLiz Davis: 07810 630 224
Corse, Redmarley, Rudford & Highleadon, Upleadon, Staunton, Pauntley, Hartpury
liz@villageagent.grcc.org.ukHilary Lyon: 07810 630 254
Tibberton, Huntley, Taynton, Churcham
hilary@villageagent.grcc.org.uk
These three Village Agents hold a surgery every Tuesday morning, 10am - 12 Noon at Chill Out Zone Broad Street Newent. All welcome..
www.grcc.org.uk/our-work/village-agents