I am the founder and coordinator of the West Wight Timebank which was set up as a community group with charitable aims in September 2015 and is now encompassed under Action 4 Support CIC.
My mission is to develop a network of flexible and diverse timebanks across the Isle of Wight.
In March 2020 I was awarded the St Thomas Award by the Bishop of Portsmouth for her 'exceptional contribution to the community and to the Church'.
My career in social care over the last 30 years has allowed me to work in different education and health care settings with people of all ages who have disabilities, autism, head injuries, and mental health issues.
I have a degree in psychology and am qualified as a psychometric assessor in emotional intelligence. I was a foster carer for 12 years and was able to provide ongoing support to young people as an adult placement officer, and manager of a small residential home.
I have worked as an advisor for the South East Care Advice Service supporting the managers of residential care and nursing homes in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and went on to run a successful training consultancy offering an accredited course in ‘Support Brokerage’ in Oxfordshire, Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire. The aim of the training for social workers and support staff was to ensure their practice and person centred inclusive way of working could help people realise their dreams and aspirations.
I have also practised as an independent supporter for children and families with disabilities who are going through the Education, Health and Care Planning process on the Isle of Wight since 2014 to empower families to realise their dreams and aspirations and get the support they need to benefit from the education offered to them.
I am Debbie Whiteley, married with three adult children. Since the birth of our first child, about thirty years ago, I have been an active volunteer, enjoying helping organisations fulfil their potential.
I started working with playschools, play groups and school helps. I went on to volunteer at our local, newly opened museum, but found my niche when I started to volunteer with adults, with additional needs, at a local Mental Health hospital. A challenging role which brings enormous pleasure as I help to empower the groups, that I still work with.
In addition, I also volunteer as a mentor to another group of adults with additional needs, giving the appropriate support to them as they carry out their work. The focus of all my volunteering is to empower the individuals to achieve their goals, with the required support and advise, as needed.
I am so proud to have been asked by Sally, to become a co-director for Action 4 Support. The emphasis, of this not for profit social enterprise is on fairness, respect, equality, dignity and autonomy: principles that I fully support and have worked to achieve in my volunteering roles.
As former High Sheriff of the Isle of Wight, I have had the privilege of seeing the West Wight Timebank in action. I found it both humbling and inspirational, and I am so thrilled that the list of projects you now have in mind will enable more and more Islanders to benefit from your experience, insight, energy and kindness. I know that everything you do is underpinned by 5 core values – Fairness, Respect, Equality, Dignity and Autonomy: values that can only result in a better society for us all, and indeed values I wish we could detect in every aspect of our lives. The world would be a much better place!
Sally as lead coordinator for the West Wight Timebank is supported by sessional workers, their details are below
Gina joined the Timebank in 2019 and quickly became involved in all the activities on offer. She soon started talking with Sally about how Timebank could do something to address the issue of single use plastic waste in the environment. A bit of research around the island enabled them to meet a lovely lady in Ventnor who had been running a plastic refill scheme from her shop for several years. After visiting, Gina and Sally were inspired to make something similar happen in the West Wight. After looking at various venues, they decided the best format was a pop up. Luckily, several venues welcomed the scheme to their premises on a monthly basis and prior to lockdown, the scheme was running successfully. At each session, members of the public were invited to bring in their empty bottles to be refilled with eco-friendly products. Several schools were also interested and the scheme was due to start there too. Of course, all this stopped in March but undeterred, Sally and Gina are now re-imagining how it can work in the future.
Gina is also looking into the possibility of making eco bricks – so watch this space…
My background is in Education and Children’s Services and I taught in mainstream comprehensive education and managed statutory Children’s Services Teams for Hampshire County Council and Step by Step, a young person’s homelessness charity in Aldershot. Retirement to the Isle of Wight was a blessing after all that!
When we moved here I looked for volunteer work at the Food Bank and in doing so came across West Wight Timebank. I worked with Sally initially as a volunteer and then undertook some fundraising leading to cooking monthly at Meet and Eat in Totland and now preparing and making recipe bags and jams and preserves for the well being and food boxes which are distributed across West Wight. This links with The Real Junk Food Project who provide most of the ingredients for the project.
I love to cook and also supported Shalfleet Lunch Club with hot lunches for Shalfleet residents during lockdown. I’m never bored and always have a project on the go or at least a plan in my head; if I ever run out of ideas there is always the garden to dig, a husband to feed and a posse of cats to serve.
Long may it last!
The West Wight Timebank is overseen by a steering group:
Alison Finch
Amy Duckworth
Chris King
Doreen Dace
Faith Stickland
Gina Maliphant
Further details of steering group members is listed below:
I am on the steering group committee for the Timebank and I help out with collating the newsletter and the day-to-day activities.
It is good becoming a Timebank member, you can do lots of things and it is good working with Sally. We will need lots of help with things when lockdown over, come and help!
I am a passionate about the circular economy as the way forward so support all that Timebank stands for and especially the opportunities to work together in our community.
On meeting Sally in 2018 I was immediately impressed with the whole community feel to this organisation and was drawn in to becoming a board member!
I have had homes in all parts of the island but Freshwater parish feels very local and very friendly. Other towns have felt distant with less connection to its island residents.
At the same time of meeting Sally, I set up my own CIC "The Real Junk Food Project Isle of Wight" which sits very well beside the Timebank initiative. We have worked in collaboration on such projects as the Meet and Eat cook ups and the lunch box scheme, summer and autumn last year. During the pandemic both companies have had to change shape somewhat, expanding through our eagerness to find positive solutions, bringing with it the continued help from its Timebank members.
West Wight Timebank has been awarded the Timebanking UK Quality Mark™.
The Timebanking UK Quality Mark™ is awarded to time banks that adhere to the core values of timebanking and operate in such a way that they develop, support and celebrate good timebanking practice as recommended by Timebanking UK.
West Wight Timebank. Part of Action 4 Support
Lavender Cottage, Main Road, Newbridge, Isle Of Wight, PO41 0TX
CIC Company Number: 11307451
Find out even more about West Wight Timebank
on our Facebook page