Health festival in volunteer week

HENLEY Health Festival will take place in next Saturday (June 3).

Designed to promote a healthy body and mind, it will be held in Market Place from 11am to 2pm.

The festival is organised by the town council and the Bell Surgery and is part of Henley Volunteer Week, which begins on Thursday.

This is part of a national initiative to celebrate and encourage volunteering.

Former mayor Michelle Thomas, who launched a volunteer network for Henley earlier this year, will have a stand during the health festival to encourage more people to give up their time for charities and good causes.

She said: “We are acting as a matching service to pair volunteers with the appropriate volunteering groups.

“Volunteering really promotes mental and physical wellbeing and I am determined to increase the numbers of volunteers in Henley — there is something for everyone.

“Every town and parish is made up of hard-working people and volunteers, so this should be celebrated.”

Debbie Watts, of Henley Citizens Advice, said volunteers kept the service running. She said: “We have more than 50 volunteers in Henley, tirelessly serving people in desperate situations or under intense stress. Volunteer advisers form the core of the service. Advisers interview people to find out what they need and do research on their behalf and either provide information so the client can help themselves or make telephone calls, write letters and emails or help them to complete forms.

“The other side of the work is running the telephone adviceline — most people make their first approach to Citizens Advice by telephone. Advisers take time to guide people through their difficulties but the ultimate goal is to help people to help themselves, encouraging them, building up their confidence, self-reliance and sense of purpose and giving them the sense that they are no longer alone with their issues.”

For more information, visit volunteersweek.org