Robert Courts' column for the Woodstock and Bladon News, discussing his volunteering week in West Oxfordshire:
As we head into Autumn, I am glad to be enjoying the last few days of sunshine here in West Oxfordshire during Parliamentary Recess. I write to you having just completed my volunteering week around the constituency, where I have – quite literally – been rolling up my sleeves and getting involved with many different charities.
I have been helping to maintain our public spaces and our beautiful countryside, both in Chimney Meadows at the south of the constituency and maintaining the public footpath along the river Thames in the east. I have joined gardening projects for those with mental health or learning disabilities in rural Wilcote at Bridewell and in a hidden oasis with Guideposts in the Bromag Industrial Estate in Witney. I have met with Age UK and the Witney Dementia Action Alliance to run a class at the Witney Methodist Church for service users and met with the team at Base 33 to talk about how they got involved with the charity.
Over this past week, I have volunteered 13 hours with people all over the constituency who give many more on a regular basis. Although this article is a touch early to be classed in the Christmas ‘season of giving’, it is important to remember that these charities run year-round. So if you find yourself at the loose end looking to fill some free time, there are so many excellent groups here in West Oxfordshire you can get involved with. On my website – www.robertcourts.co.uk/volunteerweek - you can find a list of all those I have volunteered with, which is only a sample of the countless groups helping in our community.
More widely, Parliament is back in full swing in October, where I will be hard at work representing you all. I send a fortnightly newsletter to keep residents up to date with all I have been doing in Westminster and West Oxfordshire, as well as provide useful information and news from the constituency – sign up through the form on my website, and email me at robert@robertcourts.co.uk if there is anything you wish to discuss.
