Lancashire Mind celebrate their volunteers this Volunteers' Week 2020

From coin collecting, empowering community members, inputting in policy, educating children and young people in schools to raising thousands and thousands of pounds for our vital projects and services, our volunteers mean the world to us and below is just some of what we want to say...

A message from our CEO, Tommy

“Volunteers are the heart and soul of Lancashire Mind. Lancashire is a big place and there is no way we could reach a fraction of the people we do without the efforts of volunteers who promote the charity, raise money for us, and help us with all kinds of other tasks. I’m always amazed by the range of skills and backgrounds of our volunteers. Their generosity in sharing their wisdom, experience and viewpoints is every bit as impactful as the hours of their time they give us.

I want to say a MASSIVE THANK YOU to all of you''

Jade Gregory - Haselden, Community Development Coordinator and main Volunteer point of contacts wants to say...

''Thank you to all of our wonderful volunteers who give their time and energy to support the delivery of our projects and services. Your skills, knowledge and experience enables us to shape our services, build relationships with communities, deliver our services efficiently and most of all, work towards achieving our vision of wellbeing for all.''

Empowerment Volunteering - Ryan

''The Wellbeing Coaching team recruited Ryan to be our Empowerment volunteer earlier this year and haven't looked back since! 

Ryan has been a support for the coaches and clients by attending community groups with individuals, being a friendly face when facing new challenges and someone who clients can lean on for support.

 

Ryan's understanding, patience and flexibility while volunteering for Lancashire Mind has seen him make wider contributions within the organisation while in lock down too. Ryan has written Blogs, had input on volunteering policy and procedures and supported us to continue to help people in Lancashire achieve better Wellbeing. 

The support Ryan has provided has boosted both the Wellbeing of our clients and coaches. We are proud to have him as part of the team!''

Bryony Littler, Wellbeing Coach Lead

Children & Young People Volunteers

''Having volunteers supporting our schools projects such as Bounce Forward is vital, as it means the more volunteers we have, the more support and input the children are getting. The children absolutely love the volunteers; they are role-models, there to encourage and motivate them and help with consistency. They bring their valuable life experience and skills to the classroom, and often create fantastic relationships with the children whilst helping them to embrace the programme.''

Hannah Gorman, Project Lead - CYP (Children and Young People)

Fundraisers - Pud and Lorraine

''As a fundraising volunteer Pud and his family have raised vital funds and awareness  for Lancashire Mind through a series of events and challenges. With the support of family, friends and his local community, Pud has generated enough in fundraising income to enable Lancashire Mind to fund a role in his local area supporting young people.

Pud and his partner Lorraine are driven, committed and dedicated to raising awareness of the support and services Lancashire Mind offer as well as raising funds to help us continue and expand the work we do. Whatever the fundraising activity or challenge is, Pud and Lorraine put their all in to it. It is amazing that thanks to these efforts and funds donated Lancashire Mind is able to fund a new job role which will help so many more young people. Pud and Lorraine are much valued volunteers and their efforts are a perfect example of just what a huge impact and difference volunteers can make to a charity.''  

Emma Bateson, Fundraising Lead

Community Development Volunteers - Vicky, Lucy, Sue and Michele

''Volunteers have enabled the Community Wellbeing Challenge to benefit from their life experience and expertise.  In the Haslingden Community Wellbeing Challenge Vicky supported Challengers to feel at ease as she shared some of her experiences, and also passed on her knowledge of Mindfulness. 

The North Lancashire Community Wellbeing Challenge is benefiting from Sue’s involvement, as a local person with shared experience of the area, and will be inputted Mindfulness techniques later on the Challenges that are currently running.''

Ruth Whitworth, Community Development Coordinator

“Lucy is not only relentless when it comes to the charity’s mission, but it is her warm and inclusive approach with everyone she meets that makes her part of the Lancashire Mind family. To any outsider, Lucy would appear to be a full-time member of our staff and it is her dedication, her flexibility and her personality that makes us proud to have her on board. When I began my role I found Lucy to be a pillar of support and was so impressed by her natural empathy and patience. She is the most well-rounded, full package volunteer I have ever worked with and is an asset to our organisation. I love coming into work knowing that I am delivering projects with her by my side. I am 100% confident that Lucy is making a true difference to people’s lives.”

Paula May, Project Worker

''Michele supports our Community Development Team with admin tasks - no task is ever too big or small for Michele, she's always willing to give it a go and completes everything to a high standard. Michele is a wonderful advocate for volunteering and the positive impact volunteering can have your wellbeing. It’s a pleasure to work alongside Michele and we are so grateful for everything she does for us.''

Jade Gregory - Haselden, Community Development Coordinator

What's it like to volunteer for us?

We asked our volunteers to share a bit about what it's like to volunteer for Lancashire Mind...

''Every task that is given to me with researching support groups,  label-sticking, cutting out those resilient glasses, counting how many leaflets and booklets we have, emptying bins, making brews, helping out at Mental Elf and other events among others things. But the biggest joy I get out of volunteering is helping others and researching and promoting mental health.''

James

''Fundraising makes me feel proud and a sense of achievement and that what I raise will go to help young people in our area which is a fantastic feeling of achievement. Because I use Shine for Sian and the balloon logo whilst fund-raising, people know that It's in memory of my Daughter Sian Waterhouse and that make me really proud of Sian.''

''Lancashire Mind are very helpful and the people you meet whilst fund raising are brilliant, the feeling that you get while doing it is good and knowing that your input and efforts will be helping someone who needs it.
 

Pud

So as well as our personal thank you's we are also putting our volunteers in the spotlight this week on our social media, to let all of Lancashire know how grateful, humble and in awe we are, of these amazing people.

Visit our social media this week to find out more:

Twitter and Instagram @LancsMind
Facebook @MindLancashire

To each and every Lancashire Mind volunteer, we want to say a big, big thank you!!