Rosemary Banks.

How have you survived in all this crazy wet and windy weather? I was lucky to only acquire a surprisingly open plan garden! Today, on the first sunny day for ages, there was a hard frost on the car and the radio advises me that soon it will rain again. Who knows, it may be snowing by the time The Caterham Independent drops onto your doormat! At least I have a doormat for the newspaper to land on. Not everyone is so fortunate. This is the third year that Reigate and Banstead Winter Night Shelter has run, one of the ways in which the Renewed Hope Trust offer help and support to people who find themselves in a pickle or homeless. To provide fellowship, a hot and substantial dinner, a safe place to sleep and breakfast seven days a week for 12+ weeks requires many thousands of volunteering hours. The shelter particularly need volunteers who are night owls. A team of four who come in from 10.30pm-6.30am and take turns sleeping so that there are two volunteers awake at any time. I can recommend this way of spending an evening. The guests are good company, the food excellent and the experience/ stories shared, remind me, that ‘there but for the grace of God, go I’. Volunteers are also needed who can come in at 6.30am to prepare, serve and eat breakfast with the guests, tidy up and leave with them at 8am. To find out more visit www.rbwns. co.uk. If you are interested in this volunteering opportunity or the many others that are available please contact me, Rosemary Banks at the Volunteer Centre in The Soper Hall, Harestone Valley Road, Caterham CR3 6YN, telephone 01883 344444 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. uk