This week is Volunteers Week (1-7 June) so it’s a great opportunity for the team at FPC to reflect on what being a volunteer means to them and why more people should get involved.
Volunteers Week is an annual celebration of the contribution that millions of people make across the UK through volunteering. The Coronavirus pandemic has obviously had an impact on many of the activities which volunteers usually get involved in, but over the last couple of months, FPC has been able to provide vital support in our local community.
For example, following the launch of the FPC Foundation, we’ve been able to provide practical hands-on support with bag packing and deliveries at the Venus Centre, a local charity which helps vulnerable families and those in supported living who need emergency food and care.
FPC’s planning team members, Helen Thomas and Stephen Caffrey reflect on their experience:
Helen says:
“FPC has been great in allowing us to incorporate volunteering into our working week. Volunteering with the Venus Centre has given me the opportunity to put back into the city that I call my adoptive home. They already do an amazing job so it is a privilege to help them in their work. The support that we’ve been able to provide is very simple but it’s humbling to know that it really makes a difference to the recipients of the food parcels.”
Stephen comments:
“I grew up in Bootle where the Venus Centre operates, so it has been a pleasure to be able to reconnect with the community. It’s been great to know we are not just supporting the people that the Centre serves, but also helping to take the pressure off the charity’s own team, especially in these trying times.”
Partner at FPC, Bernice Blundell says:
“The option of being able to volunteer isn’t available to everyone and we are conscious that the massive ‘army’ of people who volunteer on a daily basis has been severely impacted by the current pandemic. Many regular volunteers who are classed as vulnerable or shielding have had to reluctantly take a back seat. It’s been a pleasure to be able to step up and fill the gap.”
The team is on standby to help another local cause, right on our doorstep, the Woodvale and Ainsdale Community Centre, which has been selected as the second project to be funded through the FPC Foundation. We’ll be providing an update soon…
