New community care scheme in Halswell

Press, 4 February 1986, Page 9

New community care scheme in Halswell

A new community care scheme was launched in Halswell last evening. The Halswell Community Service scheme will act as an umbrella organisation to help co-ordinate social services in the area.

The chairman of the Halswell Social Services committee, Mr Geoff Paterson, said it was also hoped to develop more community services and encourage good will.

The service could also be a centre for information where people could find out what was happening in the community. A co-ordinator will be based in the Halswell Community Hall during mornings, Monday to Friday, and between 6 and 8 p.m. on Friday. All staff were volun-

teers, said Mr Paterson. About 50 people had already volunteered to help with a variety of services. More were expected to help once the scheme began.

Volunteers would sometimes help existing organisations such as meals on wheels and Handiscope. Others were able to offer new community services.

An education service might be run through the scheme with people offering to tutor in various subjects. Initial funding for the scheme has come from other community groups.

Halswell residents would later be offered the chance of becoming members of Halswell Community Services for an annual

subscription of $2. That would provide an income and a list of members when the move was made to make it an incorporated society, said Mr Paterson.

Funds from Telethon for the Family Trust will be used to establish the scheme. The Anglican Social Services received money from the trust to allow family care schemes to be run in communities. The volunteers at Halswell will receive training and supervision under the scheme.

Mr Paterson said Halswell Community Services would help establish the area’s identity. It was often treated as “leftovers from someone else’s district,” he said.