BY Maggie Gibson A NEW Fenland Welcome Home from Hospital service is being launched to give short-term practical support to ease the transition from hospital to home. The scheme is being officially launched on Thursday June 25 and has been established by

BY Maggie Gibson

A NEW Fenland Welcome Home from Hospital service is being launched to give short-term practical support to ease the transition from hospital to home.

The scheme is being officially launched on Thursday June 25 and has been established by Care Network Cambridgeshire.

It will be officially launched by ex-boxing champion Dave Boy Green with the mayors of March and Wisbech, representatives from local charities, community groups, service users, Care Network trustees, staff and volunteers.

Anyone can contact co-ordinator Jane Johannesson or her assistant Sally Robinson about a patient who may need support after being discharged from hospital and settling back home.

Jane or Sally will then match the patient with a volunteer who will visit them at home over a period of a couple of weeks and help with tasks such as shopping, collecting prescriptions, make a cup of tea or just sitting and chatting.

The scheme has recruited 14 volunteers but more would be welcomed to cover the large rural area. There is no pressure on volunteers to be available on a regular basis.

There is a good social network for volunteers with regular meetings and outings. All you need is a little spare time now and then, it usually involves three or visits over a two week period.

Launching the service in Fenland means it has now gone county wide by extending it from Cambridge and Huntingdon.

The expansion has been made possible through funding from Age Concern Opportunities for volunteering in 2008. It was then followed this year by a three year funding from Fenland Strategic Partnership.

n to contact the Fenland office Telephone 01354 652 741 or email whfh.fenland@care-network.org.uk