The mutual benefits of volunteering

I volunteer with the community-owned Amberley Shop on the Common since December 2023. I work in the shop and café and there are a variety of duties from clearing tables and serving customers to buddying one of the North Star College students when they attend for work experience. My inherent nature is to help others, and volunteering fulfils my ‘giving back’ need. I find each visit totally uplifting and heart-warming. One of my first experiences was assisting an elderly lady who lives on her own. It was her first visit to the shop to buy a card and she asked to stay to write it. It was a condolence card for a recently departed friend. (She did not want to write the card on her own at home). The lady is now a regular visitor to the café for coffee and cake and greatly enjoys the company. My role at Plunkett is inward-facing, and supporting a community-owned business ensures I truly understand what we are about. Volunteering is a win-win situation as it makes me feel good about myself and adds valuable support to the shop.

Kathryn Morrison, Head of Compliance and Internal Operations

I volunteer at the museum in the town where I live. I’ve been involved for over two years, starting as a steward and then becoming a trustee. As a steward, our role was to staff the museum during opening hours. Being a trustee is predictably different but no less rewarding. We are more concerned with general oversight including the upkeep of the building, governance, and fundraising. I initially became involved after learning more about the history of the town. I have volunteered for various other local organisations too and that is at the heart of why I love where I live; people regularly sacrificing their free time to make amazing things happen.

George Ogier, Project Support Officer

I’ve been a co-chair of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) at my daughter’s primary school in Oxfordshire for the last three years. As with all PTA roles, my volunteer position entails helping to host no end of events and activities over the course of the school year. As well as wanting to play a part in my daughter’s school experience, I really wanted to help kick-start the school community which had dwindled as a result of the COVID period, so joining the PTA felt the obvious thing to do. Trying to manage volunteering, a job and general life duties is tricky, so having the benefit of volunteering hours at Plunkett has been hugely helpful in allowing me to dedicate time to plan and coordinate the PTA’s numerous activities.

Gemma Sills, Engagement Manager

I am a new volunteer with Read Easy Shropshire Hills, which provides free, confidential, one-to-one coaching to help adults learn to read. There are 2.4 million adults in England who can barely read or cannot read at all. Coaching is provided through a phonics-based reading programme called Turning Pages, published by the Shannon Trust. As Publicity Officer, I develop a publicity strategy, promote activities and events, publicise referral pathways, communicate our impact, write articles and press releases, and post to our website, social media, and newsletters. Knowing that I help increase service availability, showcase the charity’s impact, and inspire people to improve their reading makes me feel useful and productive. It’s early days, but I see mutual benefits for both Plunkett and Read Easy as I bring my skills to my volunteer role and gain new ones. It helps me to create headspace to keep some perspective, challenge myself, try out new things and do something different that helps maintain a positive work-life balance.

Nick Comley, Community Business Adviser

I’ve been a governor at Thomas Reade Primary School in Abingdon, Oxfordshire for seven years. Both my daughters attended, and my wife teaches there. It’s been an interesting period: we hired a new headteacher and had our first OFSTED inspection in over a decade. I am a vice chair, with responsibilities for monitoring SEN and writing. It’s a privilege to strategically support the head and staff, ensuring a safe and happy learning environment for children. Our girls loved the school, and this is my way of giving back. The Plunkett volunteer benefit allows me to take time during the working day for monitoring visits and talking with school staff, without worrying about making up work hours, and I’m grateful for this.

Andrew Dubock, Communications Manager

I’ll be volunteering with Cutteslowe Community Larder in Oxford – I’m a newbie! I’ve just had an initial meeting to explore how I can help, most likely with creating a community engagement strategy to boost income and the local profile of the project, so it generates more local support. I’m excited to meet and work alongside other members of my community – and it is energising to collaborate with others to make ideas a reality! I am hoping to bring plenty of Plunkett experience to the project – and use that to tailor an effective stakeholder engagement strategy. I think it is a great Plunkett benefit to have – life is so full and busy, so it is hard to make time for the extra activities we are personally passionate about. To have a couple of days, with the support of Plunkett, means I can focus without distraction and hopefully add real value to my local community.

Harriet English, Head of Engagement