LEISURE TIME ANNUAL REPORT 2011

Report for the 12 Months to 31 December 2011

Leisure Time once again proved its value in answering community need during 2011. Our wonderful volunteers and effective committee have worked together, under the ethos of the Glen Waverley Uniting Church, to fulfil our mission of outreach and hospitality to housebound or lonely seniors. Our guests frequently tell us how much they appreciate our efforts.

Leisure Time has a Constitution which sets out six aims. They provide a framework for our planning and a benchmark for evaluating what we do. Leisure Time aims to:

1. develop programs which enable those in its care to develop positive relationships with each other and their community;
2. deliver high quality services in ways which promote human dignity;
3. ensure that the programs are non-discriminatory and are planned, implemented, managed and evaluated in a consultative and participative manner;
4. provide or encourage innovative services
5. liaise and cooperate with other community service agencies in developing accessible and relevant series; and
6. advocate publicly on behalf of those who require services.

Leisure Time has satisfied all of these aims in 2011, but more importantly, the pleasure of our guests and the relationships formed are the best results we could aim for.

2011 Committee of Management

The committee has been active and cooperative throughout the year, enablng Leisure Time’s “well oiled machine” to keep on providing the high quality service we are known and respected for. We met five times during 2011 and used our emails much more frequently. Our Position Description document was updated and serves to assist those new to positions.

The following persons will complete their 3-year term on the committee at the 2012 AGM, but are all eligible for re-election: BarbaraCraig, MargaretFraser, Pat Vevers, Ross Vevers.

NancyBurns has tendered her resignation effective from the 2012 AGM. We thank Nancy for her many years of conscientious service to Leisure Time’s mission.

We also acknowledge and thank Davi Mair for his ongoing service as our honorary Auditor.

Guest Information and Numbers during 2011

Our guests ranged in age from 60yrs to 95yrs during 2011, with an average age of eighty. The average age has increased over the years, and probably reflects the fact that more people are now able to stay in their own homes for much longer. The increasing age of guests impacts on the type and range of activities that are appropriate and also on the level of personal care and mobility assistance needed. Three guests are legally blind, but all still enjoy the conversations and activities. We are pleased to report that two men joined Leisure Time in 2011.

We were able to maintain attendances close to our maximum of twenty for most of 2011. In total, twenty-seven different guests attended during the year, including six new guests. Sadly, one guest, Joan Letty, passed away mid-year, and three others were unable to continue for health reasons.

The following graph shows the average attendance for each month, and reflects the regular attendances during 2011.

Maintaining our guest list by connecting with potential guests who would enjoy and benefit from Leisure Time is a constant challenge. The community need is certainly there, but the people we are targeting are often unable to make contact with us for themselves. We continue to promote Leisure Time within the local community and ask our own congregation to help us make connections with people they know too.

Our relationships with other agencies that interact with local seniors are important and remain the main source of introduction to possible new guests. Cliff Baker has continued to be our representative on the Monash Interagency Network of aged care agencies, which allows us to consolidate these relationships.

Margaret Fraser has also maintained active links with Monash Volunteer Resource Centre, Freemasons Outreach and Peter James Centre who have made occasional referrals to us. We welcome any other ideas for identifying potential new guests.

Volunteers in 2011

We are very grateful to all our 2011 team. On behalf of the Leisure Time committee and more importantly, on behalf of our guests, we say thank you. Everyone has a smile and cheerfully assists to make the guests’ time with us a happy one. This sincerity is seen and appreciated by the guests who often comment on how lovely all our helpers are.

We would like to acknowledge the home cooks, kitchen leaders and kitchen helpers for their continuing compliance with food safety requirements. In late 2011, the church was awarded the Monash 5-Star Golden Plate award for excellence in food safety standards. Since Leisure Time is providing for a designated “vulnerable” group, the procedures we follow are always closely inspected. Well done and thank you.

Communication with our volunteers is maintained with three newsletters during the year, plus invitations to attend the AGM and the Christmas break-up. All volunteers are warmly encouraged to bring concerns or ideas to the committee at any time.

Leisure Time Program

With a weekly program, the guests enjoy a stimulating and enjoyable variety of activities. The four hosting teams, one for each week of the month, carefully and creatively develop their own program for the day. Opportunities for conversation, development of relationships and a good laugh are always priorities. Activities include:

• Guest speakers, including travel presentations, charity work, local agencies, ministry team
• Gentle exercises
• Craft work, including dolls for the Childrens Hospital, floral work, Christmas decorations
• Table games and quizzes
• Discussions and memories
• Presentations on special subjects, including dogs, artwork, dolls
• Music and sing-alongs
• Outings

We thank all those people who have planned the program or made presentations to the guests.

Outings Program and Monash Community Grant

Leisure Time was again successful in its application for a Monash Community Grant to subsidise the costs of Leisure Time outings. We received an amount of $500 (plus $50 GST). This allowed us to maximise the variety and benefits of the outings while minimising costs to guests. We gratefully acknowledge this assistance.

The Outings sub-committee planned five outings, including all transport arrangements, accessibility and catering for the day. The outings were all very well received by guests.

• March Frankston Sand Sculptures and lunch at Frankston RSL
• May Seeing Eye Dogs and lunch in Kensington
• July Movie “Oranges and Sunshine” and lunch at Pinewood Theatre
• August Smorgasbord lunch at Village Green Hotel Bistro
• November Tour and lunch at Werribee Open Range Zoo

Our Christmas break-up in December was an action-packed day of fun, fellowship and farewell before the long break. It is a good opportunity for guests to invite family and friends to a Leisure Time event, and for our volunteers and Ministry team to have time to chat with the guests. The entertainment was provided by 150 children from the Wesley College Junior School, who presented a Christmas nativity scene, narration and lovely music. One of our guests, Millie, thanked the teachers and children on our behalf. The children also brought many gifts to go under the Empty Christmas Tree at the church. As always, the food was a highlight. After delicious morning tea morsels, our “kitchen angels” served a festive and nutritious Christmas dinner. The tables were beautifully decorated with craft items made by the guests. The day concluded with a Christmas reflection led by Alison Clarkson in the chapel and a gift was given to each guest. There were a few tears from guests as they left us, knowing how much they would miss their weekly time with us over the Christmas break.

Sincere thanks go to the Outings sub-committee for their work all year.

Care of Guests

The Care & Communication sub-committee, comprising the Coordinator, Day Leaders and Care Secretary, met regularly to discuss care of individual guests, safety and emergency procedures, program planning and preparation and any matters of concern. Duty of Care for our guests, as well as OHS for our volunteers, is a high priority.

The committee continues to implement the policy that all volunteers who have direct contact with guests undertake a police check. As expected, all checks have come back "All Clear".

Monash Positive Ageing Lifestyles EXPO and Come and Try day, October 2011

Leisure Time was again invited to set up a stall at the Monash Positive Ageing Lifestyles (PALS) Expo. We talked to many local visitors on the day, handed out Leisure Time brochures and networked with other agencies that provide services for local seniors. We are pleased to represent Glen Waverley Uniting Church as an active congregation which is reaching out to its local community. Also during the Monash Seniors Festival, Leisure Time was included in the PALS program. We had an Open Day for visitors to “come and try”. Two visitors came and enjoyed their time with us. Unfortunately, we cannot offer transport to visitors on these days.

Leisure Time Cookbook

After years of requests, a cookbook of much savoured Leisure Time recipes was published in October. All 150 copies were sold by Christmas. Thanks to all who assisted with providing recipes, planning the design and production of the cookbook and selling the books. Profit from the book sales was contributed to GWUC.

2011: A pleasing year . . . What now?

We know that the Leisure Time structure and programs are a successful formula that brings much pleasure and care to our guests. This organisation depends on an effective Committee of Management, a large number of reliable and committed volunteers helping on a monthly basis and making connections with potential new guests on a regular basis.

Some plans for 2012 are:

• Work within the new Community Hub Missional Group at GWUC in innovative ways
• Work with local agencies to maintain guest numbers as close to maximum as possible
• Maintain awareness within our own GWUC congregation about Leisure Time’s mission and outreach efforts and its dependence on volunteers
• recruit some new volunteers to join the roster and the committee being open to new ideas

We pray that Leisure Time will be blessed in its continuing Christian outreach to local seniors, and that each and every volunteer and guest will know God’s love and guidance in the year ahead.

Thank you for all that you do.
Margaret Fraser and the Committee of Management