A thank you to the teams behind our charities in Volunteers’ Week
The work of our army of volunteers in West Sussex is recognised more now than ever during the pandemic
Charity teams across West Sussex have been thanked this week in Volunteers’ Week for all their hard work and dedication – especially during the current crisis.
Volunteers’ Week is an annual event that this year has taken place on June 1 to 7. The event aims to pay tribute to all the hardworking volunteers who help to provide vital services in our communities.
St Catherine’s telephone buddy scheme in Crawley has been a lifeline.
Earl, a patient under the care of St Catherine’s Hospice, has been speaking to volunteer, Graham, once a week as part the new scheme, set up to make sure patients, who’ve temporarily had to stop attending the hospice’s Living Well Centre, remain connected.
Earl said: “When one of the nurses told me about the scheme I asked if I could speak with Graham because I already knew him. Everything is driven by my needs as the patient.”
Graham said: “I’ve been volunteering at the hospice for seven-and-a-half years and was really pleased to be asked to help whilst I’m not able to be at the hospice volunteering.
“It means a lot that I can still do something to support patients and St Catherine’s and not just sit around for months. Citizens Advice in West Sussex has continued giving advice to those in need throughout the coronavirus pandemic thanks to the tireless dedication of its staff and volunteers. The charity covers a large area of the county including Horsham, Crawley, Mid Sussex, Adur and Worthing, and new volunteers are being sought to join the team in a variety of roles. At the start of lockdown, the team quickly rallied to ensure as many people as possible could be helped over the phone or webchat. Almost 100 volunteers are currently working from home alongside 49 staff; volunteers are contributing nearly 730 hours each week on average.
Emma Cross, chief executive officer at Citizens Advice in West Sussex, said: “Throughout the year our wonderful volunteers contribute their time and energy to make a huge difference to people’s lives and help keep our vital service running.
“Whether they have been able to continue in their role recently, or have paused their volunteering, their support throughout the year has been truly invaluable. I cannot thank them enough for their continued dedication. We really couldn’t do it without them. We’re encouraging new volunteers to apply and join us at a time when our service is so needed by the
Volunteers have gone above and beyond to help others in these challenging times
EILEEN LINTILL