2023 marks the 39th year of Volunteers’ Week (1-7 June), when we join thousands of charities and voluntary organisations recognising the often unseen contribution volunteers make to the work of their host organisations and society as a whole.
This year’s theme is ‘Celebrate and Inspire’ and we want to take the time during Volunteers’ Week to say a big thank you to our volunteers and celebrate your efforts and all you contribute to Disability Sheffield.
A huge thank you to our COVID-19 PPE Delivery Volunteers who finished their volunteering with us in April, and who delivered 3958 bags of PPE to disabled people and their PAs throughout the pandemic. Without your hard work and dedication hundreds of extremely vulnerable people in Sheffield wouldn’t have been able to receive the care and support they needed. At a very difficult time it was our volunteers who stepped up and helped those most in need, and we couldn’t be prouder of you!
It’s also timely to be inspired by our Sheffield Voices Volunteers and Ambassadors who will help to celebrate a year of ‘We Speak, You Listen’ at our Big Voice Conference at Sheffield Town Hall on the 27th of June.
Thank you to our steering groups members and mystery shoppers who are helping us deliver our Healthy Living and Physical Activity Project to make community healthy living and physical activity groups and facilities more accessible to adults with autism, learning disabilities and severe mental illness.
We couldn’t deliver our inclusive cycling project without the support of our cycling volunteers. Sheffield Cycling 4 All volunteer Joseph Rooney says about volunteering with us:
“Volunteering has had a massive impact on me. I’ve been supported in many ways from just general help and assistance in my role, mental health, physical health, my day-to-day general life, providing references for new job prospects, a safe space to talk about anything on my mind, conversations about shared interests, opportunities to be a part of social events, opportunities to take part in loads of training and development. As well as the tools plus qualifications that I needed to become a paid session worker such as the first aider at work qualification.
I’m proud to be a part of and an advocate of SC4A and Disability Sheffield. Giving me the opportunity to help with a project in the community that brings so many benefits and joy to everyone involved, meeting and working with amazing people that I have a shared interest with. Providing me with motivation to do stuff I enjoy the most and share this with others.”
We’re proud of you Joseph and our past volunteers who like you have gained employment over the years in jobs they love, some with Disability Sheffield! ( you know who you are ! ). Let’s celebrate that too !
The work we do at Disability Sheffield would not be possible without our volunteers who also help deliver the information and advocacy service as well as our projects Sheffield Cycling 4 All , Sheffield Voices learning disability and autism group and our Healthy Living Co-Production project and last but not least our Board of Trustees! We could not do our work without your time, skills and commitment. We hope that you are aware how much we appreciate all of you, not just this week but all 52 of them!
Last but not least if you feel inspired reading this and want to explore volunteering with us please do get in touch on 0114 253 6750 or email info@disabilitysheffield.org.uk.
