A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO OUR AMAZING VOLUNTEERS!
This week is Volunteers’ Week, celebrating the selfless contributions made by so many to support others. Volunteering is a great way of giving something back to the community and a wonderful use of spare time.
We are so grateful to all of the amazing volunteers that work with us at Caritas Anchor House to improve the lives of people experiencing homelessness. During this pandemic, the contribution of volunteers has been invaluable, but in fact, they support our life-changing work in various ways all year round. Thank you so much to you all for everything you do to help.
Our volunteers have supported us with everything from setting up our food bank, collecting food donations, hosting CV workshops, preparing and serving meals at events, offering training courses, gardening, offering haircuts and painting nails. Whether you are a resident, community member or from our corporate supporters, you are making a difference to people’s lives – thank you.
Andy, a teacher at St Bonaventure’s school, told us why we had given up his time to support Caritas Anchor House in April. “Having worked with people suffering from homelessness for nearly 20 years, so many have said that a kind smile or word is what they miss the most. Kindness costs nothing, and I want my sons and the St Bon’s students to know that.” We couldn’t agree more.
Alaa volunteered twice a week for six months while completing qualifications in mental health. She said: “Volunteering changed the way I see homelessness, and developed my personality quite a lot. It gave me the chance to meet new people, both colleagues and residents, who are some of the best and most interesting people I have ever met. I learnt something new every day, and gained experience that will definitely stay with me throughout my future career.”
Your support is helping the hundreds of people who stay at Caritas Anchor House every year to move forwards with their lives. People like Maya*, aged 26, who has experienced difficulties with her mental health since she was 16. Her family struggled to understand or provide support, which made home-life very difficult, and she was asked to leave the family home.
“I was so scared when I arrived at Caritas Anchor House and isolated myself. I have problems with depression, low mood and bulimia, and thought everyone I met hated me and would want me to leave. But I now realise that’s just a feeling and isn’t true. I’ve got a good relationship with my keyworker who is supporting me to move forward, and I’m so grateful.”
Maya has recently found the power of volunteering too, and has been using her time during lockdown to help vulnerable people in the community.
To mark their amazing contributions, we will be highlighting an individual or group each day this week on our social media channels. Please follow us (links in top right of website) to find out about our volunteer heroes! If you have volunteered with us, we’d love to hear about your experiences.
If you are interested in volunteering with us, please click here to check out our opportunities, or if there is something else you could bring we’d love to hear from you. You can get in touch with us on volunteering@your-place.org.uk.
*Name changed to protect resident’s identity
