(This first item originally appeared in the Bloxham Broadsheet of February 2011)

Are you over 50? Or do you know someone locally who is? Would you or they like the opportunity to bridge the generation gap by spending one hour a week with a small friendly group of fellow volunteers and young people at The Warriner School? The school is working with Full Circle, an Oxfordshire-based charity that has set up fourteen extremely successful and ongoing intergenerational groups in schools around the county, bringing older and younger people in local communities together for mutual benefit, friendship and lots of fun. Examples of what older people have said about Full Circle are:
“One of the best experiences has been seeing a whole lot of new faces. It’s easy to get out of touch, but I’ve made new friends”
“It lifts my mood. I come in for an hour and go away feeling brighter”
“I have gained confidence and new skills as well as friendship, enjoyment and a sense of satisfaction at making a difference to children’s lives.”

The group is run by a trained facilitator, and volunteers are supported by Full Circle’s Coordinator for Older Volunteers. For further information please contact
Full Circle on 01865 246456, or email ruthfullcircle@gmail.com.
www.fullcircleoxon.org.uk.

Experiences of a FULL CIRCLE volunteer

Why / how I became involved:
My wife saw a local advertisement, asking for “older people” volunteers to form a Full Circle group at the Warriner School… “Have a look at this” she said, “you like working with students”.
It looked interesting, and although it was another commitment it would only mean an hour a week without any travel involved.
It looked like a good opportunity to contribute something back into society, even if only in a modest way.
I saw it as an opportunity to make contact with young people from a completely neutral position, on a level playing field. As volunteers we would not have any authority over the young people, we would be offering straightforward friendship across a couple of generation gaps – something to keep me young at heart and a bit more up to date! We would not be representing the school or the teachers, the police, parents or grandparents, the church or any other official body who might tell them what to do or think, but would simply be offering friendship on a level playing field.
So in April 2011, I think it was, the Warriner started a Full Circle group with four of us volunteers, Paul, Barbara, Helen and me and about eight young people with a facilitating member of staff, Fiona Foster, and currently Marie Brown.

What have I got out of it?
I have made about ten new friends, who I look forward to meeting up with each Friday morning, and miss during the school holidays. I have received from them their friendship and trust, and we have shared a lot of fun, laughter and enjoyment. It opens my eyes to what young people think, what they enjoy, what is important to them, what worries them and what makes them tick. It keeps me in touch, and gives me an opportunity to share with them my experiences, about family, work and holidays, where I’ve visited, what I’ve found challenging, interesting and important to me. It is very satisfying and good fun.
Full Circle really does foster understanding, respect and friendship between the generations, and does seem to make a difference.

So what do the young people get out of it?
You must ask them that, but from hearing what they say, and their comments when at the end of term or the end of the school year they ask whether they will be allowed to continue to attend Full Circle, it is clear that they enjoy it a lot and feel that it is worthwhile and makes a difference to them. But ask them…
So what do we do when we meet up each Friday?
During the past 15 months we have covered a wide range of activities, including,

playing games, including quizzes, Pictionary, table soccer, card games, etc. chatting and sharing holiday experiences, and one another’s interests apple picking a tour of the Warriner School Farm sharing pizzas and fish and chip lunches together planting up hanging baskets preparing Full Circle birthday card, and a poster for the Full Circle AGM pumpkin carving sharing cakes made by one of the young people sharing photos And many more

How’s it going?
Really well, but we could now do with another couple of volunteers for our group, and it would be brilliant if we could start a second Full Circle group at the Warriner School…
Full Circle really does seem to make a difference, to both the young people and the volunteers!
Peter Little, (volunteer)

To get involved or find out more, please contact Ruth Stavris, at Full Circle, on 01865 246456, or
Email – ruthfullcircle@gmail.com
Webiste – www.fullcircleoxon.org.uk.