Why did you decide to volunteer for GYC?

I've always been keen on giving back to the community where I can. I've done a lot of fundraising over recent years but never really seen the direct outputs of the money raised. The opportunity for Treasurer came about at just the right time for me and gave me the chance to put my expertise in accountancy to good use. My partner has always been extremely passionate about working with children and providing them with the opportunities they deserve. With all of this combined, I felt that GYC was the perfect place for me to get involved and the perfect time too. I've certainly not been disappointed since joining!

What kind of things do you get involved with?

My trustee role means I am the finance expert on the Board, helping to guide the charity with all things money-related and the regulations that come with it. I also help out where I can on activity days which involved ensuring all of the carers are accounted for, they're comfortable with everything and everyone they are going to be working with during the day and they have a great time doing whatever activity they are registered for.

How does volunteering make you feel?

It gives me a massive sense of satisfaction knowing that I've put my expertise to good use, ensuring the charity is best placed moving forwards financially. Spending the activity days with the carers really inspires me too, knowing that they have a lot more to deal with in life than I do but I'm helping them to just be themselves for those few hours.

What would you say to anyone else thinking about volunteering with GYC?

Just do it. The volunteering days always make me want to come back for more. The GYC staff are so passionate and it really does show, it's so infectious! The carers are the best part of it though, they are so resilient and engaging. The days fly by but you really do get so much satisfaction from it all. I'd never been a trustee before so I was very nervous about taking on the role but I believed in my abilities and the rest of the Board were so welcoming. It's also a great opportunity to meet more people from a variety of different backgrounds.