Volunteering
Paycare staff started this year’s volunteer days in February with a visit to Black Country Food Bank in Brierley Hill Black Country Foodbank. Operations Director Nikki Mumford joined policy admins Anne and IT’s Bonnie to help sort, label and shelve food ready to be picked.
Throughout the year, staff have gone out into the community to help support with all sorts of tasks, including braving the weather to help with outdoor work. In August, Clare, Anne and Sally met with staff and participants from the Wolves Foundation Head4Health group to work in the Foundations allotment in Park Village, Heath Town. Helping to build bird boxes, weed and generally tidy, the girls thoroughly enjoyed their day, learning lots of gardening tips along the way from the group.
Allotment produces a-lot-of benefits for Wolves Foundation – Wolves Foundation
The allotment project was not the only outdoor volunteering project for Paycare staff to undertake. Becky, Liz, and Millie helped clear weeds and undergrowth at both Albrighton and the Kingswood Trust Outdoor Learning is Adventurous Fun for Everyone | The Kingswood Trust and in October, Stephen, Simon, Jas, Lauren and Anna helped clear weeds and paint outdoor buildings at Patshull Activity Centre. Patshull – fun and adventure for all ages
Kali and Blahar spent their two days supporting in the Oxfam shop in central Wolverhampton while Julie chose to volunteer in the Compton Care shop.
With staff at Paycare taking part in the Molineux Sleepout event in November, several staff took the opportunity to experience the great work at The Good Shepherd and help with the lunchtime services. Clare, Sally, Saranjit, Cheryl, Nicky, Nickeita and Ana all took their turns at serving hot drinks and meals to those taking up the 3 times weekly hot lunch at The Good Shepherd Services on Waterloo Road. Homepage – Good Shepherd Wolverhampton
And then of course Christmas started to loom and more volunteer opportunities opened up. Janet, Cheryl, Saranjit and Becky spent a day with the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity at their HQ in Cosford. Their duties for the day included sorting picking and packaging the charity’s Christmas Cards and gifts ready to be despatch to customers. With so many orders, the girls where certainly kept busy all day. Home | Midlands Air Ambulance Charity
A brilliant year of volunteering was rounded off with a visit to Blists Hill Victorian Town in Coalport Shropshire, part of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, for Cheryl, Nickeita, Sally, Clare, Simon and Anna to help wrap presents for the Christmas Grotto. Blists Hill Victorian Town – Ironbridge Valley of Invention
In total this year, Paycare staff have undertaken an amazing 42 days volunteering in the community, working with people from all walks of life and making a valuable contribution. Thank you to all the organisations and charities for giving us the opportunity and such a warm welcome.