19th April 2022

 Park-HELP-Line

By Sonia McColl OBE

 TIME MOVES ON AND ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END 

ON 27th MAY 2022

It is with much pride of our achievements – tinged with a little sadness – that after six years and three months of voluntary help to thousands of park home residents; I believe the time has come to close Park-HELP-Line whose free, friendly and anonymous service was initiated on 10^th February 2016. 

Although we have never charged residents for our help – the telephones had to be paid for and the operators and I thank Paul Baker of pbinsurance services for park homes for paying the monthly telephone bill.

When our seven wonderful, dedicated operators (who are all park home residents) began, there was only the Advisory Services, who for an annual fee, offered advice and help to park home residents.

For many years, the Park-HELP-line operators – many of whom had personal experience of the problems residents faced - directed callers to various outlets that could best address their problems and this worked well.

We were very fortunate to have help from Mr. Sam Mayer of Henriques Griffiths (Solicitors.)  This proved invaluable as he offered a free consultation to all residents directed to him by Park-HELP-line and this service was often enough to allay the fears of those who felt they had nowhere to turn.

However, with the passage of time, things changed and the Government decided to sponsor the LEASE Advisory Service - which is a professional organisation whose advisors are paid to do the job.  Therefore, the work of Park-HELP-Line was no longer needed in the same way.

Before closing, I want to thank the Park-HELP-Line Operators who all hail from different parts of our country.  They have all gone beyond the call of duty and worked voluntarily every day (including Christmas.) 

Such was their commitment that one Operator, who worked while terminally ill has now passed away – and we hope she now rests in peace. 

The other unsung heroes, who have always remained anonymous for their own safety;(because they live on various parks) will be reluctantly unplugging their phones on Friday 27^th May. 

We do this for the benefit of the residents because LEASE, the new Government Sponsored Advisory Service is now the way forward for residents who need help and advice.  You can contact LEASE on 02072672900

Everyone involved with Park-HELP-Line has done an amazing job and I know that the remuneration for their unstinting desire to help other residents has been rewarded by the hundreds of grateful messages they have received from park home residents across our country.

There is a saying: 

"Don’t be a has been. Know when it is time to leave – as new things are put into place - and leave while you are still on top."

Thank you to all involved for your dedication and let Park-HELP-Line be remembered for all the excellent work that it has done and the thousands of park home residents you have helped