We love this time of the month: when we get to shout about our amazing volunteers and the, quite literally, life changing work they do to help Fresh Futures run smoothly and effectively.
This month we are giving a very special THANK YOU to Sarah Marsden, who has not only been volunteering as a befriender for over a year, but has joined the Community Connections team covering maternity leave.
We caught up with Sarah to hear about her Fresh Futures Volunteering journey so far…
- Name: Sarah Marsden
- Tell us a little about yourself? I am a qualified General & Mental Health Nurse, retired Police Officer, I volunteer at wildlife sanctuaries around the world and I am currently the Matcher for Community Connections for Community Friends. I also volunteer as a school governor, help out at The Welcome Centre food bank and if there is any spare time I assist in the hospital at my local Wildlife Rescue.
- How long have you been volunteering for the charity? I have been volunteering for Fresh Futures for 13 months now. I initially befriended two lonely people in the community and help with the young onset dementia support group which is a lifeline for many of these clients in their difficult journey.
- Please explain your volunteering role in a nutshell: I spend an hour a week with a lovely centenarian lady and and I love learning about the various clients who attend dementia support group.
- What made you want to start volunteering with YCC? My volunteering started when I walked through the door of Fresh Futures and spoke to Lucy and the rest is history.
- And finally, what advice would you give to people considering volunteering with YCC? I not only have the privilege of volunteering at Fresh Futures who are extremely supportive, forward thinking and creative in the diversity of roles that they offer, but also I find volunteering very rewarding and beneficial to my own mental health.
If you feel inspired to become a volunteer like Sarah, or if you would like to volunteer in any way for our charity, please contact Lucy on 01484 519988 or email [email protected]