Carmarthenshire celebrates Volunteers Week with series of family events

Spice Time Credits (http://justaddspice.org/), a social enterprise that started in South Wales and has spread to 35 locations across the UK, is celebrating Volunteers Week with a series of community events across Carmarthenshire, including family fun days in Llwynhendy, Llanelli and Bynea.

• Volunteers Week (http://volunteersweek.org) is an annual celebration of the fantastic contribution millions of volunteers make across the UK. This year, it’s taking place from the 1st – 12th June.

  Carmarthenshire Time Credits events that already confirmed for Volunteers Week are:

  Friday June 3rd – Llwynhendy Family Fun and Information Day, Gwili Fields – led by Llwynhendy Families Taking Action Group

• Sunday June 5th – Family Fun Day at Llanelli Beach Park, North Dock – led by Vintage Falls
• Sunday July 12th – Big Lunch at Trallwm Community Hall, Bynea – led by Ty Enfys Children’s Centre and Trallwm Hall

  Founded in South Wales in 2009, Spice is a social enterprise that has developed a unique time based currency called Time Credits. The programme has proved so effective that is is now the largest alternative printed currency in the world. So far an estimated 25,000 users have earned the currency, and approximately 450,000 Time Credits have been issued across England and Wales.

  Spice Time Credits works very simply. For every hour a person gives to their community, they earn one printed Time Credit that can be “spent” on community, cultural and leisure activities in the Carmarthenshire area and nationally at venues across England and Wales.

  The community events give the opportunity for volunteers to earn Spice Time Credits, by helping set up stalls, manage activities and help out on the day, or aid in clearing away events once they’ve finished

  Once earned, the Spice Time Credits can be spent at over 65 local partners across businesses, voluntary and community sector, public service and community groups; all using Time Credits as a resource to share skills and assets, enabling organisations across multiple sectors to work together.

  Over 800 attractions and venues accept Time Credits nationally, including leisure centres and theatres, and family attractions such as Ramps Skate Park. For example, bowling costs one Time Credit per person per game at Tenpin Swansea and Xcel Bowl in Carmarthen, two of Spice’s partner spend venues in South West Wales.

  National spend partners of Spice Time Credits includes The Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Botanical Gardens of Wales.

  Lindy Butler, organiser of the Llwynhendy Family Fun and Information Day at Gwili Fields on Friday 3rd June, explains why the community events are important:

  “With Spice, people can help improve their community space. Anyone who volunteers with our group earns Spice Time Credits and it does make a difference. Lots of our families are single parents, so to enable someone like that to take their family out has a real impact in their lives. For example, someone can go bowling with their family for 9 Time Credits, which would take 9 hours to earn. The equivalent would be too expensive for those families.”

  “As a thank you for all of our group members who have volunteered to help with the Family Fun Day, we’ve organised a trip to the Gower Heritage Centre, where they can spend Spice Time Credits. It will be free for them, so the whole family can enjoy their day out and it’s a lovely reward. Lots of people can’t drive so they can’t access the centre as it would take too long on the bus to get there, but this is an opportunity for them to go there and enjoy themselves.”

  Becky Booth, CEO of Spice, explains the value that these events bring to local communities:

  “This year we are encouraging and supporting local Big Lunches and Big Picnics across the Spice Time Credits network in Carmarthenshire. These are a brilliant way for people to get together with their neighbours and friends and have a conversation, over food and fun activities, that can lead to bigger things. The events include opportunities to earn Time Credits with Spice, for example by helping to run activities, set up and take-down gazebos, or pick up litter. It promises to be a brilliant Volunteers’ Week for all involved!”

  If you want to find out more about Spice Time Credits and their work in the Carmarthenshire area, please contact Karen Scott at karenscott@justaddspice.org or go to justaddspice.org