AN organisation which helps hundreds of voluntary and community groups in Selby is offering an innovative secretarial service to support them.

The Basis Team, which is based at Community House in Portholme Road, has come up with a free secretarial package – whereby a saviour will swoop in and help arrange meetings or provide office cover.

The service includes all aspects of running and administering a meeting, from minute taking and distribution, room booking and invitations, and in some cases arranging transport to meetings for people with mobility issues, as well as basic office cover and data imputing. Jackie Smith, secretarial saviour from the Basis Team, said: “We like to think that we can undertake all office tasks, from simple filing to office-sitting.

“Many small groups only have one part-time member of staff and it can cause problem if that member of staff ifsoff work ill or on holiday, that’s where Basis comes in. I can be around to answer the phone, check emails and post, all with the strictest of confidentiality.”

She said: “This is a free service made possible by funding from the Big Lottery. We provide a first class service to the community, and try to be as obliging as possible.”

The Basis Team was set up to help local clubs, groups and organisations access Lottery funding.

Since its conception two years ago Basis, which has just three people working for it, has helped about 200 groups across the district receive funding worth £1.5 million.

A wide variety of organisations had been helped, including sports clubs, church organisations, children’s groups, a cinema club, a Polish families’ self help group and allotments organisation.

For more information on the service, which is available to charity groups across the Selby area, phone Jackie on 0175 291111 or email jackiesmith@selbyavs.org.uk