We're celebrating International Volunteers Day
05 Dec 24
In honour of International Volunteers Day, we spoke with a few members of team Inzpire to find out more about their volunteering efforts, and why they find it so rewarding.
Pete Booth, GECO Field Service Representative
Pete volunteers for the Shropshire Staffordshire and Cheshire Blood Bike Charity as a rider, supporting the NHS by transporting blood, samples, breast milk for premature babies, medication, medical equipment and medical documents.
As part of the rider team, he books himself for on-call shifts, often overnight to fit around work commitments – even riding on New Years Day. Pete started volunteering in July 2023, and to date has completed 47 shifts and a total of 306 hours on call!
He said: “I wanted to volunteer ever since talking to my neighbour who is also a volunteer controller. As soon as achieved my motorbike license, I carried on my training to gain an advanced rider certificate, which is pre-requisite of the charity.
“Volunteering for blood bikes helps me with a sense of civic duty, doing something to help others; something that I lost after leaving the military. It is not an exaggeration to say that there are people alive today, that may not have been, were it not for the blood biker arriving in the middle of the night with vital a vital blood transfusion. The opportunity to provide that service is incredibly rewarding.”
Grace Finch, Project Manager, TSS
Grace volunteers at Samaritans Lincoln, as a listener. She decided to start volunteering when her dad sadly passed away in 2022, after realising how lucky she was to have a strong support network. She wanted to be able to help others who may not have anyone to talk to and has been volunteering there for two years.
She said: “I have a completely new perspective on life and the hardships people go through, often in silence and the people you would least expect. On a personal level, I have made new friends and gained a new community.”
Jamie Foxall, Senior Cyber Risk and Resilience Consultant
Jamie volunteers at his local Junior Park Run, and as a CyberFirst for Schools Assessor. He started volunteering to give something back, both within his specialism and within his local community too.
He said: “Having been lucky enough to be supported at events through the help of volunteers, I wanted to help others in the same way. With Park Run, it’s also a handy excuse not to try and have to keep up with my son…
“For me, it’s really rewarding to just help others – I get a lot from that. With CyberFirst, it’s amazing to see the effort that schools are putting in to promote a career in cyber security. Anything I can do to help them get recognised is well worth the effort!”
Del Lambert, TSS
Derek volunteers as a RAF Association case worker and has been doing this for eight years. Here’s what he had to say about his experience so far…
“I started volunteering to try and make people’s lives a bit better – not everyone is as lucky as others. Having been in the RAF for more years than I care to remember, I thought I could use this experience to talk to those who have also been in the RAF.
“Knowing that you’ve helped to resolve a problem is what it’s all about. Sometimes, people don’t know what help they can get, so it’s vital to let them know what may be possible. Just talking to someone who hasn’t had any social contact for days can give them a boost.
“It’s not just phone calls, but also visits to see people in their home environment. This is a great way of seeing what they need and putting a plan together to help them.”
Andy Stagg, Senior Training Consultant
Andy has been volunteering at the Under 17 Car Club for the last 10 years. The club was founded by the famous racing driver Barry ‘Whizzo’ Williams, to provide children with the chance to drive in a controlled environment.
He volunteers as a venue controller, running the site and teaching young drivers. He also carries out mock driving tests, helping them to gain confidence ahead of their real test.
Madri Iwoi, Junior Cyber Security Consultant
Madri volunteers with a local project in Colchester called ‘Fit and Fab’, with the aim to support women within a deprived community who struggle to take out time for fitness and wellbeing activities. These women are unable to take part in these activities for various reasons ranging from health challenges to lack of childcare, little motivation, or prolonged sedentary lifestyle.
The organisation also provides opportunities for social interaction, signposting women struggling with mental health to the appropriate support.
Madri was one of three women who decided to initiate the project, motivated by their own personal experiences within the community.
She said: “I’ve been volunteering for 2 and a half years; it gives me a sense of satisfaction and has personally helped me to make a lot of positive lifestyle changes too.
“Our greatest achievement is helping a lady who was in a coma for weeks following a stroke. When we met her, she was walking with aid and unable to get back to her basic day-to-day activities. Now, she can run, complete long outdoor walks and join for social dinner evenings!”
To our incredible volunteers, and to all of those volunteering around the world, we'd like to thank you for giving up your time to help others. Happy International Volunteers Day!
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