Home-Start Banbury & Chipping Norton - News

We are recruiting a new Senior Organiser
We are looking for an enthusiastic Senior Organiser to lead our team and manage the Scheme in Banbury and Chipping Norton, to actively recruit, train, supervise and support a team of volunteers. Parenting experience, excellent communication skills and an understanding of the needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged children and their families are essential, as is the ability to deal sensitively with the public and to liaise with statutory services. Knowledge of office systems and IT, experience of delivering training and applying for grant funding are desirable; use of own car (expenses paid) and enhanced CRB disclosure will be required. Salary NJC scale 29-33 (£24,646-£27,849) negotiable depending on experience. Part-time 30 hours per week. For an application pack please telephone 01295 266358 or email info@home-startbanbury.org.uk - Closing date: Friday February 10th 2012 Interviews: Tuesday February 21st 2012


Christmas Party
Our Christmas party on 12th December was a great success, despite Santa having an emergency and not arriving! Many thanks to one of our fabulous volunteers for stepping in and doing a wonderful job as Santas helper.


easyfundraising
We are encouraging our supporters to use easyfundraising as a way to raise valuable funds for the Scheme at no extra cost to themselves. For more information on how this works and how to sign up, please see click on the 'supporting us' link on the left of this page.


Canal Day
The Scheme had a stand again this year at Banbury Canal Day, and after last years dreadful weather everyone was very pleased to see the sunshine. £229 was raised on the day.


Family Summer Outing
On 24th August families and their volunteers enjoyed a day out to Milletts Farm Centre. It was a beautiful sunny day and everyone enjoyed playing on the park and seeing the farm animals. Some were even brave enough to venture into the maize maze but luckily we didn't lose anyone in there!


Banbury Food Fair
This year our scheme attended Banbury Food Fair, and our bottle stall raised an impressive £460.


AGM 2011
Our AGM was held in the Tew Centre again this year. It was well attended and guest speakers Margie Salussolia and Andree Blakemore (Oxfordshire Family Courts Magistrates) gave an interesting talk on ‘The work of the Family Panel Courts’. Afterwards, everyone enjoyed a buffet lunch with an impressive cup cake tower.


Quality Assurance Review
The Quality Assurance system, developed in conjunction with Charities Evaluation Services, was introduced during 2005.

Home-Start schemes and Home-Start UK regularly conduct self assessments against 16 standards to measure their own progress. Every three years there is a full Review to validate their findings externally. The focus of the Review is determined using information such as self assessments, reports on action plans and evidence gathered in advance and at a document review preceding the full Review. Scheme Reviews are led by Home-Start UK staff and include interviews with families, volunteers, staff and trustees.

In May 2008 Home-Start Banbury & Chipping Norton underwent the first full three-year review looking at all areas of the scheme’s work: what we do, how we do it, how we organise it and how we record it. We were delighted that our reviewers found that the scheme was performing well, meeting 227 out of the 232 essential indicators – ‘a significant achievement’.
If you would like to read the full review, please click here.

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Home-Start Banbury & Chipping Norton recieve Queen's Award
Home-Start Banbury & Chipping Norton was chosen to receive the prestigious Queen's Award for Voluntary Service. On June 25th 2007. The Vice Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Malcolm Cochrane, presented the group with the award.

Four long serving Volunteers Pat New, Jocelyn Taylor, Deborah Alexander and Pam Archdale attended the Queen’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday July 17th 2007.

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