Community scheme launches in Leicestershire

A scheme where residents are rewarded for helping others in their community is launching today.

Time4Leicestershire is a new skills exchange initiative, which will see people carrying out good deeds for others and being rewarded in return by having somebody do a good deed for them.

Part of the national Timebanking UK initiative, Time4Leicestershire is being run by Leicestershire County Council’s Public Health team, who are encouraging people to sign up, register what skills they can offer and see what expertise they could benefit from.

The scheme is designed to help people swap skills, connect with their community by meeting new people, contribute to their local community and receive help or support with practical tasks, such as gardening.

Councillor Lee Breckon, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “We want people across Leicestershire to live as healthily and independently as possible and this scheme will encourage this, regardless of age or ability.

“There are many positive health benefits for people from being connected within their community and we very much welcome the Time4Leicestershire initiative as a way of helping people across the county to meet more people in their neighbourhoods, get help with some practical jobs and improve their emotional wellbeing at the same time.” 

Timebanking differs from volunteering, as people swap skills. For every hour of time somebody gives helping, they receive an hour’s time credit to bank and use on somebody helping them for an hour.

Skills swapped can be anything from mowing a lawn or baking a cake. People don’t have to meet in person to benefit from the scheme, they can help online, for example helping someone with their CV or digitally editing photographs.

The county council’s Public Health team are holding a series of information events for people to learn more about timebanking. People who sign up at the events will have their account credited with two hours, to help them get started.

Meet the team at their first information event. Simply call in and sign up any time from 9am to 5pm on Wednesday, 15 January at The Hinckley Hub, Rugby Road.

To find out more about the scheme and what skills people are looking for, or to see when the next information events will be taking place, visit www.time4leicestershire.org.uk or call 0116 305 0705.