Volunteering stories
FEATURE
Images courtesy of The Teesside Charity / Doug Moody
Volunteering stories
Progress – CF employees Kayleigh Hullah, Ruth McKinlay and Laura Elsdon worked at Hartlepool Baby Bank during Volunteer’ s Week 2024 and were able to sort a six-week backlog of donations in a day.
In the past, CF has given its support to organisations including Teesside Hospice, Daisy Chain, Billingham Environmental Link Programme( BELP) and Billingham South Primary School, both financially and through employees donating their time and skills.
This is such a valuable commodity – whether it’ s assisting charities who rely on volunteers yet still don’ t have enough hours in the day or manpower to meet the increasing needs of their customers or helping primary schools to deliver afterschool STEM clubs.
Craig Oxley and Daisy Chain Daisy Chain is an autism and neurodiversity charity based in Norton. Craig volunteered to help out after visiting with his family.
“ I went back to Daisy Chain to be able to learn more about what they do, how they help the local community and play my part in helping make things that bit easier for them as a charity. Hearing about the impact of volunteers makes it a wonderful thing to do.”
Beth Green and Billingham & Stockton Borough Foodbank Beth volunteered her time alongside four colleagues.
“ I chose to go to the food bank because it provides an important service locally to people in genuine hardship. We helped to do a stock take and organise some of the donations, to ensure the right things were in the right place when people came to collect them.”
Ruth McKinlay and Hartlepool Baby Bank Ruth volunteered at the baby bank during Volunteer’ s Week 2024.
“ The baby bank has now extended its donations – which include clothes, nappies and formula – to parents of young people and families who are struggling, as well as new mothers. With three of us there, we were able to sort a six-week backlog of donations in a day.”
Andy Clay and Teesside Mind Andy, a regular volunteer, chose to donate his time to a local mental health charity.
“ Having struggled a bit with own mental health in the past, and as a mental health first aider at work, I went to Mind with a colleague. We re-pointed and tidied a courtyard area that’ s used for quiet time. To hear the staff talk about the difference it will make was rewarding.”
Volunteers’ Week Volunteers’ Week is an annual national event that celebrates the amazing contribution volunteers make to communities across the UK.
For CF it’ s the perfect platform to champion the VTO programme and this year it will be taking part by visiting more local charities, both on Teesside and in the Chester area.
With a firm strategic commitment to its philosophy of giving, CF will continue to play its part in helping the local community, while also enabling its people to step away from the business and make a difference where it matters most to them.
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