Berkshire chartered surveying firm delighted to help brilliant new community charity service

Right place, right time

The timing couldn’t have been better. Eight Bells Community Strength Co-ordinator Andrea Barrett had just moved into her new office space, while local chartered surveyor Ian Young of YA Property was looking to downsize as he shifted operations from office to home in response to the Covid pandemic.

“I had a desk, but no chair!” recalls Andrea. “Then I got an email from Cathy at A Good Thing, telling me about the service and asking if we’d like to get involved. It turned out there was an office chair available locally – exactly what we were looking for! Of course my answer was a resounding ‘yes’.”

It’s all about connecting the dots

Cathy’s email resonated with Andrea for other reasons, too. While running a local charity in the Swindon area a few years ago, she had come across an initiative with a similar remit to A Good Thing. “I just thought it was such a brilliant idea,” she says. “We’re all working toward the same goals so it makes sense to work together. But sometimes you need a bit of help to make the right connections.”

Engaging with the local community

The importance of connection is the guiding principle behind the new service Andrea is setting up, too. Eight Bells Community Strength sits under the umbrella of the existing Eight Bells Mental Health charity. Set up in summer 2020, the idea is to recruit “community navigators” – local volunteers who can go out into the community and provide practical support for people who are feeling lonely and isolated, and who may also be living with a long-term medical condition, whether physical or mental.

“It’s not a befriending role,” says Andrea. “It’s about helping individuals reconnect with their local community. The goal is to build their confidence to the point that they can get out there, engage with any services they might need, and start joining in activities that support their mental health and wellbeing.”

Feeling prepared and ready to get out there

With Covid-related restrictions now starting to lift and life – tentatively – returning to something like normal, Andrea and her team of volunteers are excited at the prospect of being able to get to work and start making those vital connections. “Having my office space sorted is such a bonus,” says Andrea. “It was so easy too – Ian even delivered the chair directly to us. We’re so grateful to him and to YA Property.”

‘An ideal solution’ for local chartered surveyor

Of course there are other benefits too. Ian Young describes it as an “ideal solution” – an opportunity to give a costly item a new lease of life, while also supporting a good cause. For Andrea, though, the big advantage is being able to keep her energy – and Eight Bells’ resources – focused on what really matters: helping their potential clients. “Getting involved with A Good Thing has been brilliant for us,” she says. “I’ll definitely be looking out for other office items in the future – and doing what I can to spread the word.”