Mid Lincs Citizens Advice

My son and I are both struggling to find work at the moment. He’s just finished university and looking for his first job, and I’m retired but need to top up my income. We’ve both been sending out applications for a while now, could unpaid work help us find something?

Whether you’re trying to get into work for the first time or after time off, finding a job can be really challenging.

It’s always a good idea to think about what skills or experience you could be missing for the kind of work you want, especially when feeling stuck after weeks or months of sending out job applications.

If you can afford to take unpaid work, it can be a good way to plug gaps in your CV and get a taste for different types of jobs. These sorts of roles usually come in the form of volunteering, work experience, or internships.

If you receive welfare benefits, you should check the Citizens Advice website or speak to an adviser before taking unpaid work. And because the rules around unpaid internships are complicated, you should get advice on being paid less than minimum wage before applying to this type of role.

Volunteer roles are often well-defined and can expose you to specific types of work, whether you’re looking for experience in an office or something more practical, like supporting people in your local community. Charities, including Citizens Advice Mid Lincolnshire, usually have a range of opportunities available including: Admin support, Initial checker, Adviser, Case checker, Research and campaigner, Fundraiser, Trustee

Being a volunteer doesn’t just give you a chance to learn and improve skills that are transferable to paid work, it can also help you gain confidence and self-esteem in a professional setting, and provide structure to your day or week.

This can set you up well for job applications and interviews by showing employers you’ve got transferable skills, relevant experience, and are ready to enter paid work. Just like any job advert, you can find plenty of volunteering opportunities online, so it’s well worth seeing what’s out there if you’re interested.

If you would like to volunteer with Citizens Advice Mid Lincolnshire, please email recruitment@citizensadvicemidlincs.org.uk. For further details about the roles that are available, please take a look at our website: www.camidlincs.org.uk

Kirton Church Fund

The June draw takes place on Sunday 29th June and the winning numbers will be printed in the September magazine.

The July draw takes place on Sunday 27th July and the winning numbers will also be printed in the September magazine

June marked the start of our fourteenth year of the Kirton Church Fund monthly draw. How quickly the time has gone! In this time we have raised over £24,000 for Kirton Church, so a very big thank you to all our members and especially those who have stayed with us from the beginning.

Now is the time for many people to renew their membership and it does pay to keep in there! After all, if you’re not in it you can’t win it! When we draw out the winning numbers each month all the numbers from 1 to 113 are in the box, but more than half of the number holders no longer take part. Two more members are no longer in the draw as they have moved away.

Both our lucky winners this month have won many times before. Congratulations to both of them!

The prize fund each month is 1/4 of the money taken each month. The rest of the money goes to the Kirton Church Fund and as I keep saying we are working very hard to raise funds to replace the lead on three of the church roofs. This money really helps.

We have plenty of room for more members and there is a very good chance of winning in the Kirton Church Fund monthly draw.

Not already a member? Then why don’t you come and join us? You too could win! Anyone over 18 may take part. You can join at any time during the year and you can do it monthly if you wish at only £5 per month (and therefore £60 annually, £30 for 6 months and £15 for 3 months.) You can of course pay the £5 monthly if you wish. You can also have more than one number. Our May winners have two numbers each.

Registration forms are available from Fay, please ring 01205 723529, or call in Kirton Church. Paula’s Gifts on Station Road also has registration forms. For more information about Kirton Church Fund please give Fay a ring.

May 2025 Winners

1st PRIZE - £47.82 - TICKET NUMBER: 92
2nd PRIZE - £16.56 - TICKET NUMBER:26

Data protection. All information (name, address and phone number) of Kirton Church Fund members is held solely for the purpose of managing Kirton Church Fund and is not passed on to any other organisation or used for any other purpose.

Meet The Locals

This month, we're speaking to J R Betts Home and Garden Improvements!

J R Betts Home and Garden Improvements got in touch to take part in our Meet the Locals feature! Plus, if you ask them for a quote and mention this feature, they will offer you 10% off!

"No job is too big or too small, from complete garden renovations to custom built cupboards, paneling to fitting new windows and doors, we cover your home and Garden Improvements.

With over 7 years of experience between window fitting and carpentry, and our main focus being customer satisfaction, pop us a message to discuss any work you would like doing for a free, no obligation quote."

If quoting from the advert, we will offer 10% off.

Contact details is 07716165009, or via the Facebook page J R Betts Home and Garden Improvements.

Blue Elephant Yoga

This month local yoga teacher, Mark, is back with more wisdom from the mat! Following last month's musings, Mark delves into a surprisingly simple, number-based technique designed to quickly bring you back to the present moment and find calm amidst life's hustle. Curious how a few digits can make such a big difference? Dive in to find out!

There’s something about summer that invites us to pause. Maybe it’s the slower pace of the days, the long light-filled evenings, or the way nature itself seems to stretch out and breathe a little deeper. For many it’s the most perfect month of the year and what we wish for during the gloom of  winter.

And yet, many of us keep rushing; through chores, through to-do lists, through life and of course work! Even the enjoyable bits can sometimes seem stressful; holidays, BBQs and kids being off school.

What if this summer, we chose to do things differently? What if we took the season’s invitation to slow down seriously; not as a luxury, but as a necessity?

Slowing down doesn’t mean doing nothing. It means doing things with more care and presence. It means taking the time to notice the way the breeze feels on your skin or how a strawberry tastes when you’re not eating it on the go. It means catching your breath; literally and metaphorically.

One way to anchor yourself in the present is to try a short grounding practice. The “54321” technique is simple and can be done anywhere, anytime:

• 5 things you can see
• 4 things you can feel
• 3 things you can hear
• 2 things you can smell
• 1 thing you can taste

Simply go through it in your mind and if you can’t think of anything, just note the absence of that sensation. There’s no right or wrong, just become aware of our senses as this gentle practice brings them into the here and now; no equipment needed, no experience required. The best bit is it’s free!

So whether you’re sitting in your garden, waiting for the kettle to boil, or walking the dog, take a few moments to slow down. Summer isn’t a race. Let’s give ourselves permission to enjoy it, moment by moment.

You Deserve It!