Make 2012 the year of the trustee

The toy library is always happy to welcome new people to our committee. We meet every second month at the toy library on a Thursday evening 7:30- 9:00 to discuss how the toy library works and make plans for the following 8-12 weeks.

Please ask for more details if you might be interested. You are welcome to attend a meeting to 'get a feel' for what we do. Our next committee meeting is Thursday 26th January, and the following one will be Thursday 29th March.

Below is information from the National Council for Voluntary Organisations:

With an average of one in five charities having trustee vacancies this is an ideal time to think about your organisation's trustee recruitment strategy and to also consider becoming a trustee yourself. Trusteeship is a fantastic opportunity for you to gain valuable work experience, make good contacts and learn new skills that could be transferred to an employer. As an organisation new trustees can bring expertise, energy, ideas and creativity to your board.

If you're interested in becoming a trustee follow these top tips to ensure you find the right position:

1. Do your homework and find a charity you feel passionate about
2. Be clear about the responsibilities you will be taking on and make sure the charity is incorporated
3. Check that the strategic direction of the charity matches its legal objects
4. Know the time commitments – every charity will expect different things. You might be asked to sit on a subcommittee which is extra meetings. Make sure you can give it the time it requires, including reading board papers in advance of meetings!
5. Understand who the beneficiaries are – this is where the organisation’s loyalty lies
   

For more information on becoming a trustee, or to recruit new trustees for your organisation go to:

Trustees Unlimited www.trustees-unlimited.co.uk
Trustee Bank http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/trusteebank

Refurbishments complete!

The Midlands Co-op awarded us a grant of £2850 in 2011 for refurbishments to improve the security, safety and energy efficiency of the toy library.

All work has been completed now, and has included: replacement doors, a new carpet in the lending room, window repairs and thermal insulating blinds, new energy efficient heaters, repairs to the exterior of the building, new fire extinguishers and redecoration following the refurbishments.

Many thanks again to the Midlands Co-op for their support.

January/February play themes

We are focusing on eye health at the moment! Come and play in our opticians shop - try on a range of frames and see how you look, or try out our eye charts. We are also making some very trendy glasses - you can decorate your own frames and put coloured cellophane lenses in! We will be playing games to do with 'looking for things' and noticing what we can see around us.

Leaflets and advice for parents have kindly been provided by Hallcroft opticians (01509 650666), and we have reproduced their advice on children's eye care below.

Children's Eye Care - provided by Hallcroft Opticians

Did you know that 80% of what your son or daughter learns comes to them visually?

Some common eye conditions are treatable if diagnosed at an early age.

Things to be aware of that may indicate your child needing their eyes tested include:

• Consistently sitting to close to the TV or holding a book too close
• Losing his/her place while reading
• Using a finger to follow along while reading
• Tilting the head to see better
• Frequent eye rubbing
• Sensitivity to light
• Excessive tearing
• Closing one eye to read/see better/watch TV
• Avoiding reading or playing ball games
• Complaining of headaches/tired eyes

Frequently Asked Questions:

When should I take my child for a test? - The sooner the better, even if you do not detect any of the above things as they may have a lazy eye which is difficult for the untrained person to detect.

My child cannot read or does not know their letters - This is not a problem. We have other ways of testing their eyes without relying on reading letters.

How much does it cost? The test itself is free under the NHS. If they need spectacles, and NHS voucher is issued to cover the whole cost or part payment.

Raising funds with Shepshed Building Society

Going into the New Year - perhaps a thought for Christmas or Birthday money?

If you, or anyone in your family, has a savings account with the Shepshed Building Society, you can nominate for it to be affiliated to the Shepshed toy library.

For every nominated account, the Shepshed Building Society makes a donation to our toy library funds. This does not affect the interest that you receive, but does help us! Please ask at the toy library or building society for more details.

Happy New Year

Welcome back and a Happy New Year to all our members and friends.

This month we will be doing Chinese New Year craft activities and exploring the topics of eye-health and dental health.

We are also introducing two new story sacks: "shapes and colour" and "dentists".

Our evening opening this month will be Thursday January 26th.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Christmas closing dates

Our last open day before Christmas is Wednesday 21st December. We re-open fully on Monday January 9th.

Toys can be returned on Friday January 6th, but there will be no stay and play session on that day.

We wish you all a very Happy Christmas and look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

Working at the toy library

Co-ordinator needed to take responsibility for the day to day running of a well established Toy Library. As a charitable organisation this role involves working with a valuable team of volunteers and the management committee. Suitable applicants should have good literacy, numeracy and IT skills, enjoy working with people and have a sound knowledge of child development.

See below for further details.

----------------------------------------------------------- Job application pack starts here --------------------

Dear applicant,

Thank you for your interest in our job vacancy. I enclose more information for the job and would encourage you to visit us to see for yourself what is involved in the day to day running of Shepshed Toy Library. The position is a part-time role and remuneration will reflect you skills and experience.

The Toy Library is a registered charity with its own management team and a group of volunteers who work on different sessions.

The Toy Library is responsible for finding its own funds either through grants, membership fees or fundraising events.

Role of Co-ordinator

To maintain the running of a lively and friendly toy library:-

- Promoting play in its widest sense

- Lending a good selection of toys for ages 0-10

- Providing valuable play experiences in the play area to

benefit both children and parents/carers.

To provide an environment that encourages socialising and support for carers and families.

To help plan and implement the finding of funds.

To work with volunteers and in accordance with Toy Library policies and objectives.

We would like you to write in your own words why you would like to work for the Toy Library, and what skills and experience you would bring and their relevance to us.

Please send your CV, completed criteria form and written application to the above address for the attention of Louise Bowles. In the event you are invited to interview we would like you to prepare for the interview either 1) an example of a short play session, please consider, age, how it would be implemented and what are the benefits to children and their respective adults or 2) an idea for fund raising and how you would implement it.

The closing date for application is the 10^th of January 2012

Appointment of the position would be after being successful in the interview process and a enhanced CRB check.

We look forward to reading your application

Yours sincerely,

Louise Bowles

Chairperson

Please note this is a part-time role in school term time only. As a guideline the hours of work and pay will be in the region of:

• Main role – 16 hours per week at a salary of around £4500 (depending on experience)
• Supporting role - 10 hours per week at a salary of around £3000 (depending on experience)

Criteria Checklist	ESSENTIAL	DESIRABLE	Y/N
NVQ Level 3 in Early Years Care or equivalent	Y
An up to date Early Years First Aid Certificate		Y
At least 3 years experience with the under 5's	Y
Experience of working with parents and carers		Y
Knowledge of the Every Child Matters and EYFS framework		Y
Knowledge of child development	Y
Basic PC literacy and good numeracy, literacy and IT skills	Y
A commitment to flexible working	Y
Experience of completing grant applications,		Y