It’s been a long time coming but we finally had a “real live” Volunteers Celebration Event as part of Volunteers’ Week 2022.
Staff and volunteers came together to meet, many for the first time since the lockdown in 2020. We hosted the event at Langley Lodge in the park. The weather was kind and we took some photographs outside in the sunshine before going indoors for some delicious refreshments made for us by the bakers at Bearwood Community Hub. Sharon Jenkins put on her pinafore and made umpteen cups of tea and coffee whilst Carol, Juanita and Dave chatted away to the volunteers who stepped up at the start of the pandemic to make befriending telephone calls to Sandwell residents.
Kim Fuller from SCVO made an appearance and kindly brought along her social media frame for some cracking photographs. A couple of our Trustees – Carmen and Gurdeep were also in attendance and they enjoyed chatting to the volunteers about how they had found the whole experience.
One thing that will stick in my mind was the way everyone mingled. We have used Langley Lodge on many occasions and carefully set out three large tables with white linen table cloths and cream and green floral posies. The volunteers, trustees and staff all huddled around one table, keen to be together. Just goes to show how much we have missed face to face interactions.
Thanks to all of our volunteers for the vital contribution you make to the work of Sandwell Advocacy.
Enjoy the photographs – those are genuine smiles from genuinely kind people!
