Dear Volunteer,

Here is a copy of our latest customer newsletter to keep you up to date with all our latest news and what's happening throughout May. As you can see it has been wonderful to welcome so many customers back into our libraries over the past few weeks.

Please don't forget to tell your friends and family that we are now open for browsing again, especially if they are not online. You can check our website for the current opening hours for your branch.

COVID-19 Test Kits

Symptom-free Covid-19 test kits that can be used at home are now available to all staff, volunteers and contractors within West Sussex County Council.

It’s part of a national drive to encourage anyone who does not have coronavirus symptoms to get tested twice a week.

There are a number of means of accessing rapid testing now available. They include:

• ordering test kits direct to your home
• collecting test kits from a local collection point to use at home
• booking an assisted test at a local test site

Full details on these, including links to support can be found on the West Sussex County Council Website.

Support for Mental Health 

As mentioned in the customer newsletter, throughout May we will be highlighting Mental Health Awareness Week (10-16 May).

Don't forget that the confidential Employee Assistance Programme is also offered to all WSCC volunteers. It's designed to help you deal with any personal or professional problems which could be affecting your home or work life, health and general wellbeing.

1. Phone support - available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year via the free phone number: 0800 030 5182.

2. Health Assured's web support - provides a wealth of information, self-help guides and webinars on a range of issues. 

You will need a username and password to access the web support - please email christine.broggi@westsussex.gov.uk if you would like more information.

Volunteers' Week (1-7 June) is only 4 weeks away and as promised we will be sharing some of the feedback from the Volunteer Survey with you all throughout the week.

In addition, as things continue to improve and restrictions are gradually lifted, we also hope that we might have some good news for our Library Volunteers very soon.

Watch this space! 

Christine Broggi - Principal Librarian Volunteering