Category Archives: News

Scrabble Challenge

Scrabble Challenge winners

Last month, we ran a number of Scrabble Challenge events in the various libraries in our area.  We saw about 50 people over the 3 events and would like to thank the Library Service for their support and everyone who attended.

A special thanks to our own Terry Calvert for all his work on this project.

 

Congratulations to the under 16 years old winner Serryn Adlington, who made 31 points from her letters, and the adult winner Eve Tigano with 56 points. Both receive shopping vouchers.

 

We would like to know if there is sufficient interest to run events such as this in the future, so please get in touch and let us know if you would be interested in taking part.

Promoting The Reader Service

Terry Calvert, one of our Board members has been out and about raising awareness of our cause:

He was interviewed on the Roundabout Show with Stuart Moore on Secklow Sounds on Thursday 2 Aug to promote the Scrabble Sessions and MKRS’ 30th anniversary.

 

 

 

Following our success last year, MKR were invited to enter a team in the St Mary’s Church, Woughton-on-the-Green, charity quiz on Saturday 4 Aug. We could not repeat last year’s win,but we still came a respectable 4th and the evening raised £430 for local charities.

AGM Report & Karen’s Goodbye!

Over 100 service users and volunteers attended the AGM on Saturday 28th July at our new venue of the Oaktree Centre in Shenley Brook End.  There was a lovely atmosphere and the necessary business was swiftly dealt with before the ubiquitous tea, coffee and cakes were enjoyed by all.

Please have a quick look at the gallery for the highlights!

A few tears and lots of good wishes were expressed for Karen Preece at her impending retirement.  She wishes to express her heartfelt thank you to everyone for the kind words and gifts.

We obviously all wish her well in the future and thank her for all her hard work and kindness as the Reader Service Coordinator for the past 7 years.

More about her successor soon!

 

 

 

Update!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Quiz Night last month – it was a fabulous evening and after expenses has raised about £450 for the service!

Don’t forget the AGM on Saturday at the Oak Tree Centre in Shenley Brook End – come along and find out how we are doing and indulge in the tea, coffee and cakes afterwards.

Calling all Scrabble Players!  We are holding 3 challenge events next month for you to come along and pit your talents at “Bluffing & Blocking” as you strive to get your “Doubles and Triples” into play.  The events are being held at 3 local libraries: Kingston on the 7th, Central MK on the 14th and Bletchley on the 23rd.  Each event is running from 11am to 3pm and all are welcome!

Job Vacancy for Service Coordinator

After 7 years, our lovely Service Coordinator, Karen is retiring, leaving us with a gaping hole in need of filling.  Do you know anyone or do you yourself think you might be interested in stepping into the breach?  The job is varied and involves meeting some lovely people.

Please peruse the details below and pass on the information as you see fit.  We look forward to hearing from you…..

SERVICE CO-ORDINATOR:

110 hours per month, flexible. £14,892, (£21,693 per annum pro rata).

Milton Keynes Reader Service is a well established voluntary organisation, which provides a high quality personal and confidential reading, facilitation and transcription service to sight impaired people in Milton Keynes.

A vacancy has arisen for a person with a professional outlook to manage, co-ordinate and maintain our services.  Key aspects of the post will be to recruit, train and place volunteers, to maintain the audio recording service, and to market MKRS to new users, local organisations and potential funding bodies.

The successful applicant is likely to have a background in voluntary sector management, service development and information technology.  Communication skills will be essential, as will the ability to work independently.

Apply by sending a letter and CV to the address below, preferably by email.  The closing time and date for receipt of applications is noon Monday 9th July 2018.

Job Description

Job Title:                            Service Co-ordinator;          Location:                     Milton Keynes

Hours:    110 hours per month, flexible but likely to include some evening and weekend work.

Accountable to:    Chair of the MKRS Management Committee.

Role Summary:    To deliver, promote and develop the current high quality service offered to users and local organisations.

Key Responsibilities:

  • To manage the day-to-day administration and running of the Service and to supervise the work of a part-time assistant;
  • To co-ordinate and supervise volunteers’ activities, including maintaining the volunteer team, matching users and volunteers for all our services, visiting potential users of the services and maintaining accurate records;
  • To recruit and train volunteers, including the production of training materials and the organisation and delivery of courses;
  • To organize the AGM and annual volunteer/user support meetings;
  • To liaise with users, volunteers and outside organisations to promote the various aspects of the service, including establishing and maintaining contact with service users, monitoring and reviewing user satisfaction with the service, and acting as a spokesperson for the service to outside organisations and the media;
  • To manage all aspects of public relations including the production of press releases or articles for the media and publicity materials and maintenance and development of the website and social media accounts;
  • To organise the transcription and recording services; including training of volunteers to use the equipment, marking up materials for recording and formatting for computerized Braille production;
  • To manage MKRS materials and equipment;
  • To implement new services as identified by the Management Committee;
  • To work with the Management Committee to identify sources of funding, and to prepare and submit applications for funding;
  • To compile regular reports for the Management Committee on Reader Service activities;
  • To monitor and manage volunteer expenses;
  • To deal with invoicing for commercial work done;
  • Any other duties as may be required from time to time.

This job description may be subject to review over time in consultation with the post holder.  The post-holder is appointed subject to satisfactory outcome of enhanced DBS checking and receipt of satisfactory references. This is required because of the sensitive and confidential nature of the service and our work with vulnerable adults.

Service Coordinator – Person Specification

Essential:

  1. You should be able to demonstrate several years experience of working in a professional environment and using IT in administrative and wider communication processes;
  2. You should possess the ability to work flexibly and independently, managing the competing priorities of maintaining a regular office presence, working with the Management Committee, making home visits to match new service users to volunteers and networking with other agencies and organisations;
  3. You should have a proven ability to work in an organised manner maintaining administrative processes and co-ordinating service users and volunteers in a timely and confidential manner;
  4. You will need strong communication and interpersonal skills including ability to work in a confidential and professional way with service users and volunteers;
  5. You should have experience of planning and delivering training programmes;
  6. You should understand the communication challenges facing sight impaired and disabled service users and the key role of MKRS in meeting those challenges;
  7. You will need to develop the ability to use, manage and understand the principles and scope of digital audio recording and other computer related equipment;
  8. You will need to demonstrate an ability to undertake and maintain organised record keeping processes and reporting of MKRS activities, including service and volunteer matches, recruitment of new volunteers, level of support to service users and other key developments to the Management Committee on a regular basis;
  9. You should possess proven experience and understanding of the importance of robust administration including liaising with the treasurer on financial matters.

Desirable:

  1. Ability to write clearly and manage the press/public relations and marketing roles on behalf of the Chair MKRS;
  2. Experience of managing specific service development projects;
  3. Experience of successful fund-raising including grant application processes in the context of funding a voluntary sector charity.

This is an exciting opportunity for the right person, so please consider if you or someone you know may be interested.  We look forward to hearing from you on the office number 01908 231123, via email mkreaderservice@yahoo.co.uk or post: Margaret Powell House, 403 Midsummer Boulevard, Milton Keynes.  MK9 3BN.