Craft club looks for volunteers to support members

Vivian comes to Phobbies to socialise and to paint

A group that supports adults with disabilities has appealed for more volunteers to get involved.

Phobbies, in Dersingham, Norfolk runs arts and crafts sessions and gives members the opportunity to make friends.

When it was established 40 years ago, the group was for adults with physical disabilities only, but now everyone is welcome, including older people experiencing loneliness.

Maggie Ponder, who runs the sessions at Dersingham Social Club, admitted it was not always easy to find volunteers but said they were looking for individuals who "get a buzz out of helping other people".

Maggie Ponder has been running the service for 18 years

"I like doing the knitting and the sewing and crafts but actually it's mostly about being nice to people," she said.

A government survey suggested fewer people had been volunteering since the pandemic, citing greater family caring responsibilities and working longer hours.

Hannah Finney from Voluntary Norfolk said: "People juggling busy lives, caring responsibilities, rising living costs and demanding jobs mean it's harder to commit to volunteering in the way they once did."

She suggested charities should offer more flexible opportunities and allow people to gain new skills that could increase their employability.

The Thursday sessions are the highlight of the week for members like Mark

Mark Shelton, who started volunteering last Christmas, said: "I'm retired now so I have the time. I don't really know how I had time to work in the past."

He said the club was really important to locals, getting people out of care homes and into the community, and appealed for artists and musicians to take part in sessions.

Group member Vivian uses her mouth to paint as her limbs have been affected by exposure to the drug Thalidomide.

She said "I would encourage anyone locally to come. It is a great way to meet new people and just to socialise a bit."

Fellow attendee Mark said the volunteers were "nice people" who helped him with his painting.