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13.
June
2017.
Yeovil Opportunity Group pre-school celebrates new Star Volunteer!

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Media Release

Yeovil Opportunity Group pre-school celebrates new Star Volunteer!

[image]South Somerset has a new Star in its midst as Yeovil volunteer at Yeovil Opportunity Group pre-school, Debbie Fry, proudly accepted the Star Volunteer award from Leonie Girling, Volunteering Officer at Spark*. Members of staff, families and children joined in the celebrations at a picnic held at the YOG headquarters in Yeovil.

The Yeovil Opportunity Group is a Charity providing pre-school education for children with additional needs, the only one of its kind in the area. Debbie first became involved with the Opportunity Group when her daughter attended and she became a volunteer in order to use her skills as a parent to help other children and "give back" something to the Group for the help she, her family and daughter had received.

[image]Kim Duller, manager of YOG, commented, "Debbie goes over and above the role of an "individual" volunteer and is often the centre of fun for the children and the Group. The children are very attached to Debbie and she brightens up everyone's day. Whether she is immersed in the water or sticky goo, covered in custard, helping to prepare snacks, supporting the children with their eating, or playing on the swings, Debbie is always at the heart of the Group."

As a result of volunteering Debbie is now embarking on a part time level 3 qualification in childcare and hopes to be able to use the skills she has learned volunteering to become a specialist SENCO for children with additional needs.

Kim continued, "As a result of Debbie's excellent volunteering skills, myself, Debbie and the Childcare Manager are developing a new Volunteer Mentoring programme, which Debbie is leading on."

The Star Awards are a county wide scheme supported by Spark to thank volunteers who make a massive contribution to their local communities. There is a Star Volunteer for South Somerset, Mendip, Sedgemoor, Taunton and West Somerset. All five district winners will be put forward for the opportunity to be crowned the overall "County Winner" and the winner will receive their award later in the year at the Somerset County Council's Chairman's Awards in Taunton.

The judges said they had a very difficult task this year as they received some very good nominations. However they chose Debbie as she stood out for everything she does for YOG and the fact that her volunteering has led to her embarking on a childcare qualification and being involved in the development of the new volunteer mentoring programme.

Picture captions: Debbie Fry receives the South Somerset Star Volunteer Award from Leonie Girling, Volunteering Office at Spark.

Debbie enjoys celebrating with one of the young YOG attendees

For more information about YOG, please visit: www.yog.org.uk or contact: Kim Duller, E/: kim@yog.org.uk or T/: 01935 384157

For more press information and a hi res image, contact Jane Adkins, A Head for PR, T/: 01935 813114 or M/: 07960698089 or E/: jane@aheadforpr.co.uk

Editor's Notes

Yeovil Opportunity Group is based at the Balidon Centre on Preston Road, Yeovil and aspires to continue to lead the way in pre-school education for children and families with additional needs after nearly 50 years; Yeovil Opportunity Group was amongst the first of its kind in the country to offer specialist support. It was founded by a paediatrician and a social worker who saw the need for therapy and learning through play and family support for children with special needs, aged 0-5 years.

Yeovil Opportunity Group works with both pre-school children and families, it offers time and space and many years of experience from a specialist and highly trained team.

The Group can consider taking any child, depending on theirs and/or the family's level of need. Although a referral is not necessary in order for a child to attend, referrals can come from GPs, health visitors, paediatricians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and SENCOs as well as other pre-schools and nurseries

Councillor Jane Lock is Chair of Trustees for the Yeovil Opportunity Group.

*Spark provides information, advice, training and support to the voluntary and community sector in South Somerset, Mendip and Sedgemoor. Spark also runs the Volunteering Service, inspiring people to get involved and make a difference in their local communities. For more information on any of these, including the DBS Checking Service, visit: www.sparksomerset.org.uk . There is also a link to our new volunteering website from our main website.

 

June 2017 (YOG 03)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Volunteers are crucial to the local community but people often overlook the personal benefits volunteering can have. Volunteer numbers remain fairly steady but it would be fantastic to see even more people wanting to volunteer as there is so much they can get involved in.