Could Volunteering Be Your New Year Resolution?

For immediate release

3 January 2014

Could volunteering be your New Year resolution?

Would you like to kick off 2014 by helping local people? Is your New Year resolution to do more for others?

Epilepsy Society is looking for people willing to be trained as volunteers to look after the Charity's information stands at awareness events in north and east London .

Soraya Bowen, Epilepsy Society’s community and development officer for Hackney, Haringey, Islington, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest, said: “Our charity provides information stands for people wanting to know more about epilepsy. We work hard to make sure people affected by epilepsy have access to information about the condition and the issues surrounding it.”

She continued: “I would love to hear from anyone who thinks they may be able to help make a difference to local people in need of information. You don’t need knowledge about epilepsy as all volunteers attend a two day training programme. All we ask is that you’re a good listener, keen to help, enjoy meeting people, are happy to learn new skills and can commit to helping Epilepsy Society for at least a few hours a month.”

If you can see yourself in this volunteer role, please call me on 07880 035842 or email

for more information or a volunteer

application pack. We really do need your help and the new skills you learn may help in other

areas of life!”

If you would like to know more about epilepsy or the work being carried out by the Epilepsy

Society visit www.epilepsysociety.org.uk

Media enquiries:

Amanda Cleaver

Communications and campaigns manager 01494 601404

Angie King

Communications and campaigns officer 01494 601304

Epilepsy Society website press area: www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/pressoffice

Notes for Editors:

Epilepsy:

Epilepsy is the most common serious neurological condition and affects more than half a million people in the UK, around one person in every hundred.

Epilepsy Society:

Epilepsy Society is the working name for the National Society for Epilepsy (NSE) the UK’s leading provider of epilepsy services. Its headquarters in Buckinghamshire are a centre for medical research into the condition, housing the only MRI scanner in the UK dedicated solely to epilepsy. It also operates a globally unique NHS epilepsy assessment facility providing individual assessment, rehabilitation training and ground-breaking research opportunities. It also provides residential care to around 100 people with severe epilepsy.

Epilepsy Society runs a confidential helpline from Monday to Friday 9am - 4pm and to 8pm on Wednesdays. It has a comprehensive range of information leaflets on many aspects of living and coping with epilepsy. In addition, the charity runs tailor-made training programmes for health professionals, employers and individuals as well as providing a comprehensive range of training and qualifications for staff members.

Epilepsy Society helpline 01494 601400

Epilepsy Society website www.epilepsysociety.org.uk

Charity no: 206186