Join your local time bank
Paxton Green Time Bank and HOurBank have begun an exciting new partnership with Southwark CCG to set up timebanks with:
- Acorn and Gaumont PPG and GP practice
- Hurley at Lister PPG and GP practice
A time bank is an exciting way for people to come together to help others and gain themselves. Participants ‘deposit’ their time in the bank by giving practical help and support to others and can ‘withdraw’ their time when they need something done themselves. Time banks measure and value all the different kinds of help and skills we can offer each other. In a time bank, everyone both gives and receives. Everyone’s time has equal value: 1 hour = 1 time credit
Participants can spend their time credits on the skills and support of other participants when they need a helping hand. People help each other out with everything from making phone calls to sharing meals and giving lifts to the shops – anything that brings people together. As such Time Banking has an economic benefit as well as improving well-being and building social networks.
We’d love you to join us!
You can self refer (contact us below), talk to us at one of our drop-in’s or try us out at timebanking events in the borough. Or talk to your Patient Participation Group at Hurley at Lister or Acorn and Gaumont. Watch out in your surgery for news of activities and drop-in’s. We also work with local organisations and their communities. Please contact us for more information:
For Hurley and Lister: Tel 0208670 0990 or email suzanne@pgtimebank.org
For Acorn and Gaumont: Tel 0207 732 0007 or email Naomi hourbank@pecan.org.uk
For groups and organisations
If you are a local voluntary organisation, community group, healthcare organisation or somebody passionate about their local community and would like to know how you can benefit from timebanking at the GP practices, do get in touch with Suzanne or Naomi, details above.
Timebanking stories
Beatriz’s story
We met Beatriz when we ran an Introduction to Timebanking workshop at a local wellbeing group. We set up a timebanking café with Beatriz which takes referrals from the ongoing wellbeing group. The aim of the café is peer support and to improve wellbeing through timebanking. Beatriz says timebanking has given her more confidence, takes her mind off her health condition and gets her out and about. She has now set up another wellbeing café and co-presents timebanking with us.
Pedro’s story
Pedro heard about the time bank through his neighbours. He is a keen young gardener who uses a wheelchair and he’s able to tend his garden on his mobile scooter. He wanted to put up a pergola and Brian, a carpenter is helping him design a pergola and put it up. In return, Pedro has earned credits by using his hairdressing skills to cut other members hair.
Karen’s story
Karen is an artist. She joined the time bank when she was at a low point in her life and has been involved for a few years. She earns credits by setting up and running a gardening project and art workshops for the time bank and the local park. She received practical help and I.T advice. Her confidence has grown and she has now found regular work as an artist and community project leader. She has also just won funding to run her own microbusiness.
Spanish-English language exchange timebanking cafe
Paxton Green Time Bank and Latin American Women’s Rights Service are running a Spanish-English language exchange timebanking café for women. The Spanish speakers report that this is an important forum for them as they don’t often mix with English speakers and would like to improve their confidence in speaking English, in particular so they can apply for better jobs. All the women feel they are using their skills to help each other – it is a reciprocal exchange in the spirit of fostering equality and developing long-term friendships. All women earn credits for participating and can spend them with other time bank members.
