UPDATE 2010

AGE CONCERN RIVERSIDE CENTRE CLOSING

Despite the efforts of many to keep this excellent Guildford Town Centre drop-in facility open, it is to close for good shortly (May 2010).

Guildford Borough Council in their infinite wisdom have withdrawn funding which largely paid for the rent.

Several long-serving employees and volunteers will lose their jobs and Guildford loses one of it's much used amenities for the area's over-50s.

HELPING OUR LOCAL FIRE SERVICE

Surrey Fire Service are always in need of cars for emergency rescue training & practice.

Our Editor was pleased to donate an old family car to the Service - a much better outcome than getting a few pounds from a Scrap Dealer.

The whole process is very easy - just phone up Surrey Fire and they will arrange for one of their approved Car Transporters to come and collect the vehicle.  No charge , very quick , very easy and you are guaranteed that Surrey Fire will receive and use the vehicle.

There's an article in our Library Section about the scheme " Scrap Cars Fire Service".

The number to call is 01737 242444. 

CHARITIES 2009

 Two charities which WBDRA will work to support in any way we can are: Age Concern & Help for Heroes. 

 AGE CONCERN

(Now called Age UK - May 2010)

Age Concern deserves a lot of support - especially financial. Their Riverside Centre in Guildford town centre has had £40,000 of funding pulled by Guildford Borough Council - see our Library Section for the newspaper artIcles.

We just hope that when GBC Councillors, Officers & their families have need for the services currently provided by the Riverside Centre that the Age Concern people will say sorry we've no funding for you but go for a walk and have a look at the Tree Man sculptures by the river in Woodbridge Meadows.

Aesthetically interesting as these sculptures are, they have cost GBC (& council tax payers) tens & tens of thousand of pounds. Money which could have been spent on keeping the Riverside Centre open, keeping the Town Centre Shuttlebus going etc etc,

 Dec 2008 Update re Age Concern

We are pleased to say that WBDRA members have been able to generate nearly £3500 for the Riverside Centre Appeal.

Mar 2009 Update - Riverside Centre stays open!!!!!!!!

Very pleased to learn that GBC have re-thought their Grant psoition ansd with all the public donations, the Riverside Centre will be staying open. We all hope this type of funding crisis will not be an annual trauma! 

 HELP FOR HEROES

This is a relatively new charity working to provide funds for currrent & recent Armed Services men & women to receive treatment for injuries incurred in the line of duty.

With Guildford's proximity to Aldershot, there are many local familes who have relatives currently serving in places like Iraq & Afghanistan.

The main treatment centre is Headley Court which is relatively local near Epsom. H4H aims to fund-raise & support the work being done there

 Take a look at their website and see what these guys are trying to do for their comrades. The address is: www.helpforheroes.org.uk