How do you find out what services, groups and voluntary organisations there are in and around your community? Come along to the Tavistock Community Wellbeing Fair on Friday, November 12 and all will be revealed.
Find out more about local services for families, young and older people in Butchers Hall, Tavistock from 10am to 2pm where 27 organsiations will be in attendance. These will relate to health, keeping safe, energy, learning, arts, benefit and money advice, local plans, housing, conservation, befriending, volunteering, getting involved...and much, much more!
The event has been organised by West Devon Community and Voluntary Services (CVS) with support from Tavistock Rotary Club and sponsorship from local Devon County Councillors Debo Sellis and Philip Sanders.
It’s not always easy to find out what is going on especially when you are new to a community but Tavistock is rich in help and support organisations — they may well be small but they pack quite a punch, particularly when working together under the realm of West Devon CVS.
The wellbeing fair was an idea which developed from the Tavistock Health and Wellbeing Alliance spearheaded by Cllr Sellis a few years ago. The Alliance has been working with West Devon CVS to co-ordinate community and voluntary support and it has gone from strength to strength over the years. West Devon CVS also set up a directory of help organisations entitled ‘In Touch Tavi’ which is readily available around the town in outlets such as the library and visitor information centre and is also accessible online. Hard copies will be available at the wellbeing fair.
It is hoped that as well as gaining useful information, everyone who comes to the wellbeing fair has an opportunity to make their voice heard and might be inspired to try something new and make new friends.
Bille Burnett from West Devon CVS said: ‘Come and join us in this great opportunity to showcase and to celebrate our many local voluntary and statutory groups and agencies — they have been there for us before the pandemic and through it and they continue to offer their invaluable help and support to everyone in the community, to get us all through these difficult times.
‘We will be following all the current covid guidelines, closely complying with all necessary measures to ensure public safety. We hope this will enable people to feel confident to come along to a physical event rather than attending a virtual one. Everyone will receive a warm welcome.’
Cllr Debo Sellis said ‘Tavistock has a wealth of support organisations both statutory and voluntary and this is a really good chance to see what they are all about first hand in a covid safe environment.
‘There will be representatives from West Devon Borough Council there and everything from art workshops to debt advice will be on offer.
‘The Tavistock Health and Wellbeing Alliance was set up to bring together all the good that is in this community and we could not have done it without the fantastic leadership of Karen Nolan and the team at West Devon CVS.
‘What has been achieved is incredible and inspiring and with covid exacerbating issues around loneliness and mental health we feel that the community effort here in Tavistock is all the more important. Please come and see what this town has to offer.’
Groups in attendance will be:
Brentor & Moor Compassionate Neighbours
Shared Lives South West
West Devon CVS
Devon Carers
Printworks (The)
West Devon Art Workshops
Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) - Tamar Valley
Plymouth and West Devon Talking Newspaper - Tavistock Area
West Devon Borough Council
Tavistock Men in Sheds
Tavistock Area Support Services
Library - Tavistock
Tavistock Street Pastors
One Small Step Healthy Lifestyle Service
LiveWest
New Tavistock Youth Cafe
Debt Advice Tavistock Area
Action for Children - West Devon Children’s Centre
Tamar Energy Community
Learn Devon - Tavistock
Unique By Nature
Devon & Cornwall Police
Devon Partnership Trust
Mary Budding Trust
Tavistock Heritage Trust
Tavistock Rotary
Transition Tavistock