Okehampton community group Community Links is calling out for more volunteers as the services the group provides are continuing to expand.

The group is calling out for volunteers to help at the newly re-instated memory cafe (Tuesdays 1-3pm) and the Weekend Wellbeing Drop-in sessions at the Okehampton Medical Centre from 10am to 12pm.

But Mary Lovell, the Community Links executive director, said that the community interest company were also in need of a new non-executive director as one of the group’s three directors was retiring and an extra volunteer was needed to help with admin work at the music centre.

She said: ‘The main things are that they want to help make the whole organisation able to continue to provide support. I think that’s really important — making sure that we’re strong enough to support others.’

The shout-outs come as the work carried out by Community Links continues to expand and follow the opening of Okehampton’s new memory, which is organised by Community Links alongside the Okehampton Community Recreation Association (OCRA), which has proved to be especially popular.

Dozens attended the first memory cafe event which started off with a simple getting-to-know-one-another activities but organisers hope that in the future they be able to hold more specific activities to help with memory problems which will include some physical activities and social activities, such as cake baking.

Mrs Lovell thinks that the opening of the memory cafe has led to an increase in the number of unpaid carers coming forward to ask for support as many carers attend the sessions with the friend or family member needing the care and find out about the support Community Links offers.

Community Links is working with Devon Carers to offer the Time For You service which provides someone to take over the care for a short period of time to allow the carer some time off.

Community Links currently run a Thursday coffee morning from 10-12pm at Refresh Cafe in Okehampton for anyone wishing to make friends and socialise. It was initially set up to help with problems of loneliness in the area as research has shown that people who are socially isolated are more likely to have shorter lifespans, suffer with mental health issues and an increased risk of developing dementia.

Most recently, Community Links held a Big Breakfast event raising just under £350 for the interest group which will go towards continuing to offer opportunities for socially-isolated people.

Community Links befriending coordinator Vicky Hopkins also said that the event had attracted two members of the public to sign up as new volunteers and encouraged several others to attend some of the Community Links groups.

Off the back of this success, the group has decided that it will hold a second big breakfast in July this year.

Community Links is an Okehampton-based community interest company that provides a wide range of support for the community including help with mental health and family support.

Anyone interested in volunteering should contact Mrs Lovell at [email protected].