‘Serving our community is a family tradition’
For three generations, Miriam Storey’s family has been working tirelessly to ensure that small acts make a big difference to people’s lives
Every Friday, you’ll find me in my local church hall, volunteering for a group called Lamplighters. Set up in the 1940s across the UK by the Leprosy Mission, the sessions are aimed at primary school children, and include games, crafts and fundraising events to raise money for the charity. It’s become a key part of my life.
It all started with my mum, Jackie. A strong-willed little girl, she knew from the age of six that she wanted to be a teacher. She attended the club with her friends and decided she wanted to run it. At 14, she was told she was too young. She went home to my grandma and explained what had happened. Knowing how much it meant to her, my grandma agreed to help manage the sessions. Together, they formed an unshakeable team.
That was 50 years ago. My mum still runs the club to this day, and my grandparents continued helping well into their 80s. I have fond memories of the group. Visitors from the Leprosy Mission gave talks, so we grew up learning a lot about this terrible disease. Each child who joins receives their own collection box so they can fundraise.
Our group in Welling is the only original club left. Mum does most of the paperwork, while I look after the social media, fitting it in alongside my day job as a librarian and looking after my five-year-old daughter, Abigail, who also comes along.
Volunteering reminds me that we are all part of something bigger. Leprosy doesn’t feature in most people’s everyday existence, but we shouldn’t ignore it. I feel proud to be a part of this global community.
My mum continues to inspire me every day and I hope my daughter follows in the family’s footsteps, supporting a cause she believes in. We can all make a difference and every contribution counts. If you have an opportunity to improve someone’s life, you should take it.
I feel proud to be part of this global community