It’s Volunteers’ Week!
It goes without saying (though we say it all the time) that The Nightingale wouldn’t be able to do all the things we do without our volunteers. We have over 100 volunteers working in different aspects of the charity; telephone befriending, receptionist, shop assistant, driver, counsellors and event helpers, all with the same mission; to help people in your community affected by cancer.
Covid has rightly raised the profile of volunteering and during a particularly difficult few years we have found the on going effort from volunteers to be outstanding and overwhelming. That is why, on this 38th annual Volunteers’ Week it’s time to say: thank you volunteers!
We’re shining a spotlight on just a small handful of volunteers
Alastair – Counsellor
My first year of volunteer counselling with The Nightingale hasn’t been exactly what I expected due to Covid. Having joined The Nightingale counselling team just before lockdown, I was only able to fleetingly see the centre in full swing. But what struck me from the outset was the warmth and energy from the space and from everyone at The Nightingale.
Kiran – Acupuncturist
In May 2018, I joined The Nightingale as an acupuncturist. The working environment at The Nightingale is relaxed and informal. I get plenty of time with each patient so that the treatment sessions are not rushed. What The Nightingale does is crucial in our community but so is the need for volunteers to get involved to keep these wonderful places going.
Joanna – eBay Assistant
When my cancer treatment was over I found that life was very quiet, I was sitting at home alone and dwelling on things. I didn’t like that. I wanted to live and enjoy every moment. I wanted to give as much as I could back to The Nightingale and so became the first eBay volunteer. I began in October 2016. We put a few listings on to start with to see how it would go and every week there was more and more success. We realised it was a very good fundraiser so we carried on and now, with my help, it contributes lots of money to the charity.
Will – Awareness Stand Helper
I like volunteering as it gives me a big buzz , it’s great to be a volunteer as it makes me happy to know that I am helping people and giving something back to the community, it’s a great thing to do to meet new people and mix with the public. I mostly help out with the awareness stands. I love promoting things too, and giving out the flyers etc
Anne – Driver
I have volunteered with The Nightingale for 10 years now. It’s nice to help out, no matter what it is and by supporting a local charity you can really see the impact your work has. Even though donations are greatly needed, people forget that sometimes it’s the man-hours and hard work behind the scenes where help is needed. It has given me a real sense of purpose and I know what I’m doing has helped and benefitted the lives of people living with cancer.
Will & Steve are our Awareness Stand Champs
We’re so grateful to all of our volunteers who work day in, day out to make sure The Nightingale are here to help hundreds of people affected by cancer.
Did you know… that volunteering doesn’t mean that you have to give up your entire day, it can be anywhere between four hours up to a full day. Some find the experience and confidence they gain from working at The Nightingale a useful stepping stone on the way to a rewarding career, others want to put their lifetime of experience to good use. Whoever you are, there’s a role for you at The Nightingale.
