Health and Social Care Moray's Buddy scheme provides a wide variety of volunteering roles to help reduce social isolation for those who are vulnerable aged 18 to 100+. The aim is to keep people connected to their local communities and in some cases reconnected to activities previously enjoyed. Health and Social Care Moray deal with requests covering the whole of the Moray area and currently support 105 volunteer buddies aged 16 to 90. This service is in high demand having received over 1200 requests for volunteers in just over 7 years. Could you volunteer to help with us? Please check out website www.moray.gov.uk/volunteering , or contact us by email on volunteering.CC@moray.go.uk

Community alarms support many older and more vulnerable people in Moray to continue living as independently as possible in their own homes. At the press of a button they can quickly raise an alert if they need assistance. There are a number of people in our communities who unfortunately have no family or friends living close by who are able to act as their alarm responder and go check on them when an alarm is activated to provide initial assistance. We are currently experiencing a greater demand for volunteer alarm responders across Moray, especially in the Forres, Elgin, Buckie and Dufftown areas for people who do not have close family, friends are neighbours for this type of support. This volunteer service is very much about remaining calm and providing reassurance. If you would like to know more about what is entailed please contact the Volunteer Development Team email volunteering.CC@moray.gov.uk.

We are looking for welcoming and enthusiastic volunteer(s) to lead short health walks in Moray -- currently these gentle walks are based in Forres, Fochabers, Hopeman, Elgin, Cullen, Buckie, Lossiemouth, Dufftown, Rothes and Keith. It's sociable, relaxed, fun and flexible -- and there is great support for our volunteers. Becoming a volunteer walk leader requires you to commit around an hour or so of your time weekly (but there is room for flexible dates!) and to sometimes complete a small amount of preparation & paper work for the walk. Health walks encourage people who have not exercised for a while, find walking boring, or lack confidence to join a walking group because they think they will not be able to keep up. Walks are free, short, low intensity, safe and social and are usually followed by a cup of tea or coffee and a chat! Over the next year we plan to build upon our network of gentle exercise activities across the Moray region. To help us achieve this we are looking for friendly and supportive volunteers who enjoy walking, meeting new folk sharing the wide ranging health and well- being benefits of gentle physical activity. Volunteers all receive Paths for All Walk Leader training to give them the skills and confidence to lead walks in your community. You will be encouraged to join a Health Walk and chat to a Health Walk leader before your training so that you have an idea of how it works on the ground. Volunteer walk leaders receive on-going support from the local Health Walk co-ordinator, too