As 2008 starts, changes are happening at the Oasis Centre. The centre’s energetic and well-liked coordinator Jane Uglow has taken a new job. Jane was the face and the heart of the centre, the person who greeted visitors and who organised the centre’s workshops and courses. We wish her happiness and success!

The Oasis Centre will remain open in 2008. Several voluntary workers from Calstock Parish will staff the centre, so that it will continue its day-to-day services.

The centre will continue to offer assistance for job seekers, low-cost computer access, basic skills instruction through Link into Learning, and personalized tutoring in computer skills.

In 2006 and 2007 the Oasis Centre undertook several special-purpose events: a “Start Your Own Business” workshop series; a feasibility study for a market gardening project in Calstock Parish; a varied range of taster courses (such as computer skills, accounting, gardening); and environmental awareness days in Gunnislake and Calstock villages.

The Oasis Centre is the most important project of the Calstock Development Trust charity. Despite the activities and services which the centre has sponsored, CDT has not found stable funding for it. In order to keep the centre open beyond 2008, either the trustees of CDT will have to find funds to pay operating costs, or another charitable organisation will have to take over the operation of the centre.

The Oasis Centre is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The centre will re-open after the winter holidays on Tuesday January 15 at 12:30 PM.

If you would like to talk about the Oasis Centre’s role in the parish, or if you would like to help in some capacity, please stop in any Tuesday or Thursday, or call the centre at 01822 834303, or send us an email at calstocktrust@btconnect.com.

We wish the Calstock Parish communities a joyous and successful 2008!