There is one national charity that offers vital support and information to anyone who has been affected in any way by crime. This organisation is called Victim Support. Trained staff and volunteers at Victim Support offer free and confidential information, support and practical help to anyone who has been affected by a crime, whether or not is has been reported to the police, and regardless of when it happened.

Victim Support also runs the Witness Service and the Victim Supportline, which helps over 1.5 million people in the UK every year. However, the Oxfordshire branch of Victim Support desperately needs your help, as although there are 42 trained volunteers working across the county — it is just not enough. So if you have time on your hands, or want to do something really worthwhile in 2009, why not make a real difference — become a volunteer with Victim Support? In 2008, volunteers in Oxfordshire supported over 10,000 victims of crime in the community, and helped more than 2,000 victims and witnesses who were attending court.

They give free and confidential information, emotional support and practical help — even if the crime has not been reported to the police.

These volunteers are working hard to maintain this vital service in our area, but they need your help to offer even more support to victims of crime. According to its volunteers, helping with Victim Support is extremely rewarding. Besides the satisfaction of supporting people in need, volunteers develop essential skills through on-going training, support and supervision. They can also take advantage of new opportunities — learning more about crime, criminal justice and the legal system.

The work of the Victim Support volunteers is also well recognised. Pat Weller and June Russell, who are volunteers in the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire areas, were finalists in the first National Volunteer of the Year Awards.

They were acknowledged for dedication and commitment to their work with victims and witnesses, both attending the ceremony held recently at Buckingham Palace to receive their awards. Pat said: “Following my early retirement in 1993, I trained as a volunteer for Victim Support. Over the years I’ve supported many victims, or their families, of crimes ranging from theft to homicide. Volunteering for Victim Support is hugely satisfying; it’s a great feeling when a victim’s trust is gained, and when you realise your support is helping them to recover from their ordeal. Attending the National Volunteer of the Year Awards ceremony at Buckingham palace was amazing — a day that the volunteers all agreed we would never forget.”

Area manager, Joanna Fenstermacher said: “Volunteers deliver the bulk of the service to victims and witnesses, and are the lifeblood of the organisation. They give up their time and expertise for free, and without their help, the service would be greatly diminished.”

If you feel that you could contribute to this important service by offering your help, contact Victim Support by calling 0845 450 3883 or by emailing oxandbucks@victimsupport.org.uk Website: www.victimsupport.org

  • If you wish to contribute to this column, email Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action at voluntaryvoice@ocva.org.uk