History of Thanet O.W.L.S.

In the autumn of 1988, a group of like-minded people with similar experiences as telephone help-line volunteers started to meet together with the aim of setting up a generic telephone help-line specifically for the residents of Thanet. They were fortunate in receiving the backing of Thanet MIND who at that time had just opened The Charlotte Centre in Margate. A grant was obtained from Social Services, and after six months planning the first call was taken in March 1989.

Thanet O.W.L.S. continued to operate from the Charlotte Centre for several years and during this time became a Registered Charity in its own right. By 1997, the charity needed to find premises of its own and was fortunate in obtaining a two-floor Centre in Central Margate. In 2007 we moved to our present accommodation in the Palm Bay area.

The number of people who call the O.W.L.S. has increased steadily over the years and caller numbers remain high. Although the majority of calls come from the Thanet area, an increasing number of callers live outside NorthEast Kent. Volunteers now take a more active role in the community. Other charities consult with Thanet O.W.L.S. from time to time about their training practices. It is a member of the Telephone Help-lines Association, and has a Protocol Agreement with NHS Direct. Volunteers attend seminars and functions organised by the local community, and meet with representatives from other charities from time to time. In 2000, Kent County Council presented Thanet O.W.L.S. with an Award for Volunteering Excellence in the support section.