Volunteers’ week gives us the chance to say an extra thanks to all our volunteers. Without them we couldn’t do what we do. Our volunteers go that extra mile on a daily basis so together we can help feed those most in need across South Wales.

our Volunteering Officer

Jude designs and makes sustainable jewellery that has been in museum shops such as the Tate Modern as well as many independent galleries and shops across the UK. Due to the virus, she has had to cancel her current jewellery course and indefinitely put on hold any new ones. The galleries and shops she sells her work in have closed so it’s got a fairly quiet on the making side of things too.

Her work has suddenly turned quiet, but as she says she is healthy and in a position to help others in a tougher situation than hers. She saw a post on her local mutual aid Facebook group saying that we were in need of volunteers and thought it was perfect as it helps others and reduces waste – “a double win”.

Sam decided to start volunteering as he needed something to get me out of the house. He is currently searching for a job, but because of the pandemic it has been difficult. So other than volunteering with FareShare, he decided to use his time to also volunteer with the Coronavirus Tutoring Initiative, teaching chemistry and maths online, as well as standard tutoring on Tutorful.

“FareShare really grabbed me with it’s twin benefits of social and environmental good. I joined just before the lockdown hit and I’m proud to be contributing at a time when FareShare’s work is even more necessary. It’s been really fun and rewarding. I’ve really enjoyed getting stuck in on a busy day and it’s good for taking your mind off wider events.”

Nicole had been looking for somewhere to volunteer for a while, and when the pandemic started she had to stop working and suddenly had loads of free time to be able to give to volunteering. She is a prop and costume maker for theatre and other events, including Katy Perry live performances, and all of those types of events have been put on hold for a while.

She says she loves volunteering and that everyone is really friendly. “It keeps me active so it’s definitely helping me maintain some balance at the moment. It’s also nice knowing I’m helping in a small way to make life easier for people around this area to get through the pandemic too. It is a fulfilling way to spend my time”

Jane is an artist and usually has a small studio to make sculptures and do research. This space has been closed during the pandemic and so she has been concentrating on other creative activities such as writing, poetry, and drawing, as well as growing food.

She says she has found the experience of volunteering with FareShare rewarding, and that she likes driving the delivery van to the charities and community groups across South Wales, the physicality of the work, and the company of like-minded individuals who also believe in the work we do.

Thank you to all of our volunteers for the hard work they put in every week. If you volunteer with us and would like us to share your story, email info@fareshare.cymru

The post Volunteers Week 2020 (1st – 7th June) appeared first on FareShare Cymru.

‘When I retired I wanted something to do with my time. The admin role really interested me and I thought it would be a really rewarding job for me to do’ 

Throughout the pandemic Sue has continued her volunteering and has been an invaluable member of the team.  

‘I really enjoyed volunteering throughout lockdown as it gave my week some structure and got me out the house for a really good reason’ 

As a result of Covid the office and warehouse split into teams to make social distancing easier. Although this meant that Sue was not in contact with as many people as normal she got to meet lots of new faces. FareShare Cymru gained lots of new volunteers during the lockdown as people were keen to help out anyway and many people had more time to volunteer as a result of furlough or working from home. 

‘I got to work with lots of really interesting people from teachers to museum curators who otherwise might not have had the time or idea to volunteer.’ 

Thank you Sue for all your hard work and helping us out, especially during the pandemic, we really appreciate everything you have done and are doing for FareShare Cymru!

The post Sue’s thoughts on volunteering during COVID appeared first on FareShare Cymru.

Meurig is ‘semi-retired’, working as a freelance consultant and doing DIY work and other things in his spare time. Meurig started volunteering because he wanted to keep social while doing something beneficial for the community. 

“I think it is really important for peoples mental wellbeing to engage with different groups of people. I also wanted to give something back to the community and help keep community spirit high, so I thought I would really enjoy volunteering at FareShare Cymru’. 

Meurig is one of our delivery drivers, which involves dropping off the food pallets to individual community food members. It also involves taking the food to local collection points, such as the one in Swansea, where several organisations meet to collect the food supplies and then distribute it. 

He says “I am really enjoying the role as I like driving and it gives me an opportunity to find out more about FareShare as an organisation.”. He does mention that he has also got his eye on the forklift truck, so we will see how that goes!

In terms of COVID-19 Meurig says he feels very safe in the depot and out in the van as masks are mandatory and the depot is well prepared with antibacterial gel and other protective measures. 

He is keen to continue volunteering and especially during COVID-19 as there are more people requiring support because of unemployment, low incomes and self-isolation measures. 

Thank you for joining us Meurig and for doing such a great job!

The post Meet our volunteer Meurig appeared first on FareShare Cymru.