CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF CARING IN THE TEDDINGTON AND HAMPTON WICK COMMUNITY



The Teddington and Hampton Wick Voluntary Care Group is celebrating FIFTY YEARS of delivering vital care in the community and is appealing for new volunteers to help support their aims.
A spokesperson said: “We are delighted to be celebrating our 50th year serving our local community.
“We have so many lovely clients who just need a little helping hand to live happy, independent lives and that’s what we do. But we can’t do it without our team of amazing volunteers, and we are always on the look out for new volunteers.
“It’s such an important and rewarding role.”
The charity group has about forty volunteers who all live locally and are on hand to offer advice, transport, shopping, outings, and get-togethers.
“In fact we do all we can to help people live a comfortable, enjoyable and independent life,” added the spokesperson.
They help about 300 elderly, housebound and disabled people in the Teddington and Hampton Wick area.
The group was started in 1975 by local resident Douglas Brown. He and his neighbours set up a small support network in Harrowdene Gardens and within a year it included several more streets, then the whole area and finally embraced both Teddington and Hampton Wick. In 2008 Douglas was awarded the MBE for his services to the community.
Their headquarters are based at the Methodist Church but the care group has no religious connection and volunteers and clients come from all sections of the local community. Three part time co-ordinators run the office.
“We help with all those tasks that a good neighbour would do for someone who has difficulty getting out and about.

Among the tasks that our volunteers can help with are:
- Lifts to local hospitals, GP surgeries, dentists, clinics and chiropodists
- Transport to local shops and post offices, the hairdresser and to social clubs and leisure classes
- Lifts to local friends and family
- Collecting prescriptions from pharmacists
- Providing advice and information on a range of topics

The charity also organise:
- Weekly shopping trips to a local supermarket using door-to-door accessible transport
- Outings to local places of interest, cafes and riverside pubs
- Fundraising coffee mornings
- An Annual General Meeting, welcoming all clients and volunteers
Anyone interested in volunteering should email VoluntaryCare@outlook.com
The website is www.tedcare.org.uk or email office@tedcare.org.uk