More drivers and volunteers needed for Twyford House, Sidmouth

WALK through blue wrought-iron gates in Coburg Road, Sidmouth, and you will find Twyford House, a community centre run by Sidmouth Voluntary Services.

Open six mornings a week, caring volunteers and a small salaried staff man the centre.

On weekdays, staff offer tasty lunches to older residents, and a mini-bus transport system to ferry them from their home to the centre for lunches, which are cooked on the premises by a qualified chef.

Usually there isn’t a spare seat for the lunches, but, says chairman Hilary Hatherley: “We have vacancies for our lunches again, due to many reasons, mainly illness, but we do feel that we do not reach many people who could take advantage of our services.”

Tea and coffee are served throughout the mornings at very low prices and any pensioner is entitled to enjoy the lunches, but pre-booking is necessary.

Sidmouth voluntary car service is also operated from Twyford House. This provides a hospital car service to Exeter and the surrounding district.

Hilary said: “All drivers are voluntary but their expenses are covered. This naturally means that a far more economical service can be provided for the citizens of Sidmouth.”

The three ambulances/mini buses are a familiar sight, and are kept busy most days of the week, transferring residents to and from Twyford House as well as collecting elderly people from their homes to take them on shopping trips in Sidmouth or to nearby superstores and home again.

A number of local organisations are involved with Twyford House, including the churches, Women’s Institutes, Rotary, past Rotarians and the Inner Wheel. They provide volunteers to help make teas and coffees and help with the lunches.

Sidmouth Town Council is represented on its steering committee and officers work unstintingly to keep the service going.

At the moment Hilary is desperately short of drivers for the SVS mini buses, and is keen to hear from anyone who would be able to help or volunteer for other jobs at the centre.

Twyford House also has three rooms available for hire at modest rates and charitable organisations are invited to contact the warden to organise holding coffee mornings free of charge in its spacious lounge.

Offers of help can be made to Hilary by calling Twyford House (01395) 515063.