Introducing Garima Rathore

There is a new face at our Footsteps shop and cafe in Cheltenham, Garima has just moved to the UK from India and has already got involved as a volunteer with our charity. I caught up with her via Facebook:

15:59

Hi Garima, welcome to Global Footsteps!

Hello

You have been volunteering in our Footsteps shop in Cheltenham for about 2 weeks now is that right?

Yes, now i am more confident about working there.

How are you enjoying life in Cheltenham so far?

It's goin very fine.. I'm enjoying in volunteer centre

You're originally from India, but which part exactly?

Yes.. Delhi region

Are there any similarities between Gloucestershire and Delhi that you have noticed?

By this time i didn't found yet, but this is very nice place, I love it!

What's your favourite place in Cheltenham? (You don't have to say the Footsteps shop!)

Eating places .. I like most is Gianni's and Nandos and Sudeley castle, but I have visited very few places so far.

I'm sure you will discover more and more as time goes by, where else in the UK or Europe would you like to visit?

all over but, priority is UK

I recommend a visit to Wales, but I am from there, so am biased!

okay accepted.....I would like to go there.... we are planning to Cardiff for a weekend in February.

Great!

Tell me a little bit about the things that interest you.... have you been involved in any work to help others or the environment before?

Yes, in India.. I gave tuition to the students... to help them in their studies, it was like evening classes... for 2 hrs

Like a homework club?

yes..

What do students in India enjoy studying?

Lots, but the reason for those classes was that they belonged to very poor families.. and we provided them with help

with their problems in studies.

I see, it sounds similar to the work our link project in Bangladesh is doing.

What other activities would you like to get involved in while you are in Cheltenham?

Nothing much yet... I'm searching a part time job too... to make myself busy.

Well I wish you good luck with that search, I hope you find some enjoyable and meaningful work!

Thank-you very much for volunteering with us, I hope you continue to enjoy it.

Yes... I love that place too!

Thanks for chatting, see you in the shop soon!

Local History in Pictures

Last night, local amateur historian Ron Prewer dropped by to show us his collection of historical photo's of Cheltenham.

Ron is a real enthusiast and, over the years has built up a huge collection of photo's showing the different parts of Cheltenham through the ages. We had about 15 people in and they all asked questions, made comments and even chipped in interesting little facts about the houses, buildings and streets Ron showed us.

Ron's pictorial tour took us through St Pauls and then South to Leckhampton, but it feels like we've only just begun, Ron is keen to come back to show us other parts of Cheltenham, we've pencilled in February 2nd 2011 for the next show!

If you'd like to find out more about Cheltenham's history, or even get some tips from Ron about researching your local area or family tree, please him an email to: RonPrewer@hotmail.com

Open House

We had a really lovely 'Open House' event last night at FootSteps. It was great to show people around and learn more about what they do and their interests. We told them a little bit about what we do and heard their thoughts and ideas on what we could do with the building and as a charity!

Here are some of the ideas, suggestions and comments we had and I've tried to feedback a little:

Clarify the focus of your charity and its aims and mission; prepare an elevator pitch.

This is so important and something we recognise we need to address. How about: 'We connect people at a grass roots level..... We do this through a variety of events, clubs and activities that all aim to bring people together in ways that are enjoyable and positive for the environment and society.

Offer the space to existing local charities to use for their meetings and so on.

We are very keen to do this and hope local like-minded organisations come along and use our space for meetings and events.

Word of mouth is very powerful as is networking through events like this.

We are trying to network as best we can through things like Transition Cheltenham and we hope our events create a buzz around the charity... please spread the word!

Charge users a nominal fee [to use the space at FootSteps]

We do intend to charge a small fee to hire out our space once it is in a nice usable state. We also have an option for organisations to be members of Global Footsteps, which would give them discounts on hiring spaces etc, as well as in the shop/cafe.

Screen environmental and educational films

We are very keen to do this and are working out a way to do this without breaking license laws, if anyone has any suggestions please get in touch!

Could you benefit from using Community Service people for labouring?

I'm sure we could, we are desperately in need of someone to help co-ordinate the manual work that we need to do, someone with DIY skills who wants to get their teeth into a worthwhile project, do you know anyone?

Contact the Eco-housing set up in Stroud, about their ecological building experience.

Thanks for this suggestion, I looked them up and the co-housing project sounds brilliant, perhaps we'll invite them up to FootSteps to give a talk and some advice. Follow this weblink for more: http://www.cohousing.org.uk/springhill-cohousing

Focus on Poverty in Cheltenham + Gloucester(shire)

We recognise the huge social and economic inequalities that exist here and would love to do something practical to address this as well as spread awareness of this problem. .

Run day trips / weekend trips for people on modest income

This feeds in to the above and is a great idea, who wants to come help us to make this happen? Where shall we go?!

Use the space for various craft-making classes

Yes please! If you want to start something up please get in touch!

More language classes

We have a history of providing language classes and want to resurrect it, we already have people who can teach French, Russian, Tamil and Bengali in our membership. If there is a demand for lessons then I'm sure we can get them going.

Bike repair clinics, maybe located at Freinds Meeting House

Another great idea, we have a few people who I think could offer this, I know that I could do with learning a bit more myself! One of our members has even written books on Cycle craft!

Frock Swap

Simple but really great idea, thanks for this, whoever wrote it down are you up for helping to organise and run a Frock Swap event?!

Have a low cost meal night - meal and a drink for a fiver

Great idea this, the shop floor is a nice cosy spot to have a meal and we have the facilities downstairs for people to join together to cook it. Any budding chefs fancy it?!

Thanks again to everyone who came last night and contributed your ideas, you've seen the resources we have, but the most important resource we have is YOU! Please get in touch if you want to help us to bring people together by the grass roots!

Email info@global-footsteps.org to get involved!