A potted history of Dulwich Helpline, 1993-2006
May 1993Helpline started by members of St Barnabas and Dulwich United Reformed churches.
1993-640 volunteers, mostly from local churches, provide practical help such as shopping, transport, gardening and small DIY jobs and regular visiting to isolated older people in the community. All coordinated by volunteer duty officers from a small room in Dulwich United Reformed Church.
1996First paid worker appointed funded by Southwark Joint Consultative Committee. Helpline moves to larger offices in Lordship Lane, East Dulwich.
November 1997Hydrotherapy sessions for users with arthritis are run on a weekly basis. As a result of the success of this venture, we start to run more regular activity sessions.
January 19982 part-time workers appointed to co-ordinate requests for practical help and befriending, plus office administration.
July 1998Activity Group co-ordinator funded through Southwark JCC.
1998We moved again, to Kingswood House, on the Kingswood Estate.
19993-year Funding obtained from the National Lottery Charities Board (now the "Big Lottery") to develop the Helpline’s befriending scheme.
1999-2002Southwark JCC funds a joint project with Time and Talents in Rotherhithe to run regular outings to places of interest and to produce a brochure listing activities for older people in Southwark.
2002We started a hospital visiting and supported discharge scheme, with funding from Southwark Social Services and Southwark Primary Care Trust.
2002Appointment of a dedicated volunteer recruitment and training worker, funded by the "Big Lottery", and a new project to promote services on the Kingswood Estate.
2003We moved back to East Dulwich to larger offices.
2003We received a Southwark Civic Award, "Community Service Group of the Year".
2004Full time administrator appointed to help with an increasing work load.
20058 staff working full or part time and over 370 people receiving our services, supported by over 140 volunteers, ranging in age from 16-80+, and drawn from Dulwich and the surrounding areas.
2006Helpline staff reduce to 6 but continue to provide the full range of services, supported by volunteers.