A PLEA for a treasurer and people to chat to residents at Sidmouth s three Abbeyfield homes comes from Abbeyfield Sidmouth charity this week.

A PLEA for a treasurer and people to chat to residents at Sidmouth's three Abbeyfield homes comes from Abbeyfield Sidmouth charity this week.

Philip Churchill a member of the charity's executive committee said: "Everyone is finding difficulty in getting volunteers at the moment.

"We urgently require a house treasurer and a future chairman and we would like to have a wider variety of people on our house committees to shadow some of our current volunteers.

"We need a treasurer immediately and more as backup."

He said it would be helpful to have a basic knowledge of computers but mostly people needed a genuine interest in older people and an understanding of their needs.

"Abbeyfield also needs people willing to give up one morning a month to attend a committee and further time [two or three hours a month] to actually talk to residents," said Mr Churchill.

"Anyone who has experience of dealing with people, or who genuinely likes people, would be able to do the job, no special qualifications are needed."

He said younger people [under 65] would also be welcome to join.

Abbeyfield is in the process of taking over Culver House in Vicarage Road. Currently it has homes in Station Road, Cotmaton Road and All Saints Avenue. Each is managed by a house committee made up of volunteers with a variety of skills, and an executive committee. They meet monthly and work closely with fully-trained staff who run the houses.

Those interested in helping should write, giving brief details of experience, to the Secretary, Abbeyfield Sidmouth Society, Abbeyfield Court, Station Road, Sidmouth.