Author Archives: Gill Swash

OPAL Mid-summer Soiree report

On the beautiful summer’s evening of Tuesday 22^nd June OPAL held a mid-summer soiree to raise funds for OPAL services.

Mrs Felicity Pochin kindly allowed us to hold the event in her garden in Oscroft which provided a perfect setting. Volunteers made cake and supporters came to enjoy the evening. We had tea and cake and a glass of fizz as we wandered around the garden and basked in the evening sunshine. Edward Timpson MP made a speech and drew the raffle. 

OPAL made a fabulous £1111 on the event, all of which will be used to support OPAL services in 2023. Thank you to all who made the evening a success.

We are recruiting! – Update 02/08/23 – Post now filled

OPAL is looking for an Organiser for our OPAL GoOnLine Services to coordinate and manage a programme of digital inclusion sessions for older people across rural west Cheshire.

Working across Cheshire with some home working.

Closing date for applications 7th July 2023.

To apply for this role or for more information, please contact morag.hutson@opalservices.org.uk  or click here to apply via Indeed

OPAL Matters Issue 18 June 2023

The latest issue of the OPAL Newsletter celebrates our fantastic OPAL volunteers. You can read the latest news and stories here, including a report from our volunteers’ event on 7th June and the outcome of our latest volunteers’ survey.

OPAL Matters Issue 18 June 2023

OPAL MID-SUMMER SOIREE 22nd June

Join us on Thursday 22nd June from 5pm – 7.30pm at Nicholaston Lodge, Cross Lanes, Oscroft, CH3 8NQ
for tea & cake in the gardens, and as the evening unfolds, enjoy a glass of fizz as you wander around.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.buytickets.at/opalservices
Or email Juliet at Juliet.compston@opalservices.org.uk
£12 per person plus raffle.

Coronation Coffee Morning, Kelsall, Monday 8th May 2023

To celebrate the King’s Coronation, Kelsall OPAL Club held a fundraising coffee morning on Big Help Out Monday, 8th May 2023 at Kelsall Methodist Church Hall.

The event was was well supported by volunteers and local residents and raised nearly £300 for Kelsall OPAL Club. Thank you to all involved.

OPAL SOUP LUNCH – Friday 24th March

OPAL held another successful soup lunch at Kelsall Community Centre on Friday 24th March.

We raised just over £500 and were delighted that the event was well attended by both members & supporters. It was great to see everyone there.

This event was of special importance as it was organised by our new fundraising group of volunteers. We held a raffle and sold bags of Easter eggs. 

We are already looking forward to the next event!

OPAL Offers more with the National Lottery Community Fund!

OPAL has been awarded £10,000 from the National Lottery Community Fund to help our community thrive. The money will be used to maintain services in those areas we already operate in and contribute to the further development of OPAL Go On Line and OPAL Branching Out .

The funding will be used across the area we cover and will enable us to keep the Branching Out ‘Whats Cooking’ group going in Farndon and to contribute to the start up of a Branching Out  group in Kelsall. It will also support us to get OPAL Go On Line up and running in Malpas.

OPAL receives valued support from MCBF

OPAL is once again fortunate to receive grant funding from the Marshes Community Benefit Fund. This funding award will see us linking up two of our successful services: OPAL Branching Out and OPAL GoOnLine and providing services across Frodsham, Helsby and Elton.

For more information please contact us on 07512 632 515 or 07779 283 591

Annual General Meeting 2022

The next OPAL Annual General Meeting will take place on Wednesday 9th November 2022

at Cheshire View, Plough Lane, Christleton, Chester, CH3 7PT (01244 332 442)

Tea and coffee served from 5pm for a 5.30pm start.

Click here to register

Vacancy – Communications Officer – (post now closed)

OPAL Services is looking for a Communications Officer for 5 hours a week, to be responsible for the production and maintenance of newsletters, the website and other OPAL communications. Working mainly from home, you will be working alongside staff and trustees in a small rural charity that delivers services for older people in rural west Cheshire to help prevent social isolation. OPAL is a volunteer-led charity whose volunteers have been awarded a Queen’s Award for volunteering.

The successful candidate will have excellent communications skills plus experience of writing for publication, publication design and layout, photography, media editing, web editing and social media. They will be flexible, self-motivated and have access to transport.

• 5 hours a week, hours distributed through the week according to need. 
• £11.90 per hour.

Apply us application form For further informationcontact  morag.hutson@opalservices.org.uk

Closing date for applications:  Friday 29^th July