PEOPLE of Hatherleigh, we need you — that's the call from the Happy Café and the Friends of Hatherleigh Festival, who are both on the lookout for volunteers.
The Hatherleigh Happy Café community project offers free catering training, and is still desperately looking for local volunteers to stave off closure this week.
The café, which only opened in February, is based at Hatherleigh Community Centre and offers the free training on Tuesdays from 9am to 3pm. The scheme is funded through the Local Food Big Lottery fund and places are available to anyone over the age of 16.
The training is run by Petroc, Devon's largest college, in conjunction with Seize the Moment, an organisation that empowers young people through arts and skills. Volunteers can gain accreditation through the Open College network or Asdan through the scheme.
To survive, the café needs a minimum of three more volunteers from Hatherleigh and the surrounding area.
The current volunteers have all greatly benefitted from the course.
David, from North Tawton, joined the scheme in March following their latest recruitment drive.
He said: 'The group is very friendly and made me feel welcome. I have trained in catering at Okehampton College, but have not yet found work — this café is giving me the confidence to try for more job interviews.'
Former volunteer Natalie Jones attended the training for seven weeks, and recently secured a seasonal catering position. She believes the training at the Happy Café helped her succeed in her new job following a previous three months of unemployment.
She said: 'I have served customers, waited at tables, done cooking and washing up. It was easy to fit into my new job, which I am loving every minute of.'
Those interested in joining the free training, please call Jane Elliott as soon as possible on 07773 679559.
The team organising this year's Hatherleigh Festival are also looking to recruit volunteers to help with the running of this year's event.
Each year the festival relies on the dedicated band of volunteers who help the event run smoothly, and 2011 is no different.
Organisers are looking to fill a variety of roles including assistants for setting up, catering, collecting and traffic marshalling.
Festival committee member Mark Whittall said: 'It's extremely important to the festival we get volunteers. There are eight of us on the organising committee, and it's difficult at times.
'We need support to make it a success. A lot of people can offer to do a little, or otherwise a little number of people have to do a lot.
'We're looking for people with relevant skills if they have them — so those with catering certificates to help with the catering, those with first aid certificates to help with first aid.
'All these jobs need doing, and we need people to do them!'
If you are able to lend a hand, please call Mark on 07973 853470 or e-mail on [email protected]">[email protected]
The organising team are aiming to hold a couple of drop-in meetings over May —keep an eye out for posters around the town, or visit http://www.hatherleighfestival.co.uk">www.hatherleighfestival.co.uk