My Labour of Love for Charity...

As a former Police Officer, I'm challenging myself to get back on the beat with some hard labour at each of my chosen charities in a bid to raise funds for A Place To Be, Hydestile Resident Animals and Skillway.

My work schedule begins on the eve of Friday 25 March where I will be putting in a shift at A Place To Be , a youth club in Haslemere. The club started over 30 years ago and still meets on a Friday night at Shottermill Junior School, providing a place for youngsters to hang out and meet safely.

My evening will be occupied with social activities, helping with mindfulness and running the tuck shop. It is also the club’s sports night, so there will be plenty of action for me to get involved with including football and basketball.

On Monday 28 March, I will be visiting Hydestile Resident Animals (formally known as Hydestile Wildlife Hospital), a sanctuary for rescued wildlife and a busy place that cares for new patients in an emergency when no one else can help – but what work will I be doing there?

In a bid to get supporters to give more to my chosen charities, I would like donors to decide what activities I will be carrying out. Will it be feeding the animals, cleaning their areas, picking up leaves or administering medications?

To cast your vote, give a small donation here on my JustGiving page and let me know in the comments section what activity you wish me to do!

Finally, on Wednesday 30 March, I will be undertaking a day’s work at Skillway in Godalming. The charity provides opportunities to help young people who struggle with the academic focus of mainstream education. Students learn to make wooden projects such as bird boxes as well as metalwork using small hand tools. I will support the students in their hand tool skills plus with their projects in both woodwork and metalwork.

I am very aware of the pressures on young people and our wildlife in the post-pandemic, climate threatened world that is frequently in the news.

Over the years these three charities have been run by dedicated volunteers who have earned our respect and support. In doing this challenge, I hope to raise money and awareness of these fantastic places in Waverley which are increasingly under pressure themselves due to financial restraints.

Please help by donating here on my JustGiving page – it doesn’t have to be a big donation as every little will help. Thank you.

To find out more about my year as Mayor keep visiting my blog https://mayorwaverley.wixsite.com/2021 or go to www.waverley.gov.uk/mayor.