Although this can be a demanding role, it can be done at home, at your own pace and in your own way.

Contact and help for Group Leaders

The main thrust of the position is to help and advise Group Leaders, particularly those starting new groups, to overcome problems and solve difficulties. For example: where and when to advertise, meet, hold the first meeting, costs and outlay, wording of their advertising and information entries.

The majority of contact with Group Leaders is via e-mail, but also with very occasional phone calls and informal chats at various get-togethers.

Contact is most usually made by a prospective Group Leader, via the website, but can also be made by personal recommendation or keeping one’s ears open and following up ideas, leads and possible interest.

Currently formal presentations are:

1. A Report at monthly committee meetings. This is mainly information about the number of Groups currently meeting, plus news of new Groups forming or older Groups closing or changing leadership. Also include any problems which need to be addressed by the committee.

Additional responsibilities:

1. Two or three times a year, depending on numbers of new members joining, a New Members Welcome Coffee Morning is held, organised and hosted by the Chairman. New members names are harvested from the Beacon Membership List. The Groups Co-ordinator produces a self-adhesive name badge for each new member attending. (Group Leaders will be informed of the meeting by the Groups Co-ordinator so they may attend if they wish.) 

2. Once each year, a Social Gathering of Group Leaders is held to thank them for their work during the previous twelve months. The Groups Co-ordinator sends out the invitations (by e-mail – see the archive for examples of the Invitation) and keeps a list of those replying. The invitations include the Group Leader’s main helper. Invitations are also sent to all those behind-the-scenes helpers, for example, Greeters at the monthly meetings, refreshments supplier for the monthly meetings, technicians helping at the monthly meetings.

Self-adhesive badges are made by the Groups Co-ordinator as required with names and Group(s) or helping role.