Tod Kindness Crew

Hi, my name is Jamus and I am raising funds for Tod Kindness Crew CIC a not for profit community group offering help with practical tasks to local people in need of a helping hand.

I live in Todmorden (Tod) in the Calder valley in West Yorkshire with my partner and my two kids. I'm a handyman by trade, I am also a Forest School practitioner, occasional teacher of music and vocational skills to home educated kids and I have recently joined a local care co-op which provides care and support to a wide variety of people in the local area.

A little while back I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my left hip which over time became more and more uncomfortable and this led to me recently having a total hip replacement.

Though now a very common procedure with a high success rate, a hip replacement is still a very intense, unsettling and uncomfortable experience Involving major trauma to the body.

Despite this and despite feeling like I'd been run into by a car then trampled by a horse in the days after the operation!! the experience has left me with an overwhelming sense of gratitude.

Firstly, gratitude for the skill and care of the doctors, surgeons and nurses who looked after me before, during and after my operation and secondly gratitude to my family and friends for their love, kindness and support while I was in hospital and when I returned home.

This made me think about all the people in our communities who return home after similar experiences (and often far worse) and all those in our community who are experiencing loneliness or isolation or who are struggling generally for whatever reason and who have a limited or non existant support network to call on.

And so in the days following my operation the idea of Tod Kindness Crew began to emerge along with the aims and objectives of the group which are outlined below.

The aim of TKC is to offer help to members of our community to:

This could include:

We are open to helping any member of our community who would:

In particular we would be aiming to help members of our community who are:

The aims and objectives of this service would include:

Operating structure and scope of work:

Initially TKC would be aiming to receive referrals from local charities, health care providers or partner organisations. As the group grows and established itself and a core team of co-ordinators and volunteers are in place the idea would be to increase the reach of TKC through social media and advertising in the local community. The intention then would be that the service could be accessed through self referral or by referring a friend, family member or neighbour.

The idea would be for a minimum of two members of TKC to work together on any given job for the purpose of safeguarding and to maximise efficiency. This way of working draws on the idea that 'many hands make light work' and would aim to help to mitigate burnout, overwhelm and over commitment from any member of TKC. It is hoped that this approach would maintain a healthy life/help balance for those involved in the work of TKC and contribute towards a healthy culture of self-care. This in turn would enable members of TKC to help the group thrive and grow to its fullest potential.

Working alongside me as directors of Tod Kindness Crew CIC are Jane and Heather, two well loved and respected elders of the local community who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience and who have been working for positive change with various organisations and community groups in the Calder Valley for many years.

Currently we are gathering together a core group of volunteers to help bring TKC to life whilst simultaneously trying to raise the funds needed to make TKC viable and more importantly, sustainable.

And this is where you good people come in!!

The idea is that the service TKC offers will be entirely funded by individuals, funding bodies, partner organisations and local businesses to enable us to offer an entirely free service.

The initial target to raise £5000 would enable TKC to cover start up costs and to hopefully enable the group to operate for 12 months. During that time the aim would be to:

Initial funds received by TKC would go towards the following:

Through my own experience in both my personal and proffesional life and through talking to other people and organizations in and around Todmorden I know that there is a real need for a service like TKC. In focusing on practical help we are offering a unique service which could have a real and meaningful impact in our community alongside the other fantastic groups and organisations that are already offering other kinds of support and help to those in need. Myself and the other two directors of Tod Kindness Crew are totally committed to bringing this idea to life and making it work for those who need it the most.

If you feel you are able to help make Tod Kindness Crew a reality please donate whatever you can, if not please pass on to someone else who may be able to.

With love and gratitude, Jamus x