A big thank you to our volunteers
1 – 7 June is National Volunteers’ Week. From the Trust’s very beginnings we have had a wonderful band of volunteers supporting our vital work. Already this year, they've give an incredible 700 hours of their time.
The precedent was set by Sir Mark Waller and Lady Waller OBE who set up the charity. They then worked tirelessly and voluntarily for decades so that it could develop into the professional and important organisation it is today.
Sir Mark and Lady Waller sat on the Board of Trustees for many years. The Board has since grown and its 15 current members use their wide-ranging experience to advance the purpose of the Trust, generously giving their time and expertise.
Fundraising is, of course, an essential item on any charity’s agenda. We are fortunate to have extremely loyal, energetic and effective volunteer fundraising committees, many members of which have been involved in the Trust for years. They work with our professional fundraising team to stage a huge variety of events, from our flagship carol services to sports events, our children's Neon Disco, art exhibitions and concerts.
Our central office in Berkshire depends on key volunteers for its smooth running. Last year we sent out 30,709 printed mental health resources. We couldn’t do this without our office volunteers, efficiently packing and posting them, week in, week out. And this blog section of our website would be much the poorer without the creative skills of Lucy Llewelyn, who’s been volunteering with the Communications Team for ten years.
Volunteer Lucy Llewelyn
As well as our regular volunteers, there are many people who give their time for particular events, such as this year’s Reading Half Marathon. One volunteer at the event said they “Just loved the whole experience – the crowd and atmosphere were amazing,” and another that they enjoyed “seeing how much the runners appreciate our support.”
We are hugely grateful for the efforts of all our volunteers including the children who often come along with their parents – we hope they will continue to find voluntary activities to take part in as they grow up. It’s such a rewarding and useful thing to do – it’s good for your mental health and it can be enormous fun!
