Volunteers’ Week overlapped with Carers Week, running from 1st-7th June, and we took this opportunity to say thank you for all the support and hard work that all our volunteers do across the organisation.
Carers’ Resource has a team of 140 volunteers who play a vital role in the services and support the charity offers unpaid carers in the Bradford, Harrogate, Craven and Selby areas.
To celebrate Volunteers’ Week, we held social events for volunteers across the districts, including those who volunteer for the Carers’ Time Off (CTO) service.
Some of our Harrogate CTO volunteers enjoyed a visit to Rudding Park, near Harrogate, where they were given a tour of the Kitchen Garden and treated to an afternoon tea in a private room.
Simon Mackaness, owner of Rudding Park, generously offered the experience to 12 CTO volunteers in the district, so we could say a special thank you to them for their continued dedication.
Following the visit, Dawn Tesseyman, Project Manager of CTO, said: “The main message back from the volunteers was that it was nice to feel valued and especially good to get together as a team again to celebrate Volunteers’ Week.”
An event was also held for the Selby CTO volunteers.
Sally Horner, CTO Project Coordinator in Craven, wanted to say a heartfelt thank you and sent a handwritten card to each of the 24 active volunteers with CTO in Craven, inviting them to a tea dance in Skipton Town Hall in July.
In addition, Carers’ Resource organised events at RHS Harlow Carr near Harrogate and at Coniston Hotel near Skipton for some of our volunteers.
Andrew Parkin, Volunteer Co-ordinator at Carers’ Resource, said: “A big thank you to RHS Harlow Carr for giving free access to their gardens and to Coniston Hotel for doing a reduced rate on cream teas for a group of volunteers.”
Also during Volunteers’ Week, Ripon Grammar School students hosted an afternoon party to thank local volunteers and unpaid carers. This built on a successful trial social gathering at the end of March where kind-hearted sixth form volunteers at the school put on an afternoon tea party with music and games to give local carers a break from their normal routine.
The event was organised as part of the sixth form’s Plus One enrichment programme, and students now hope to host a similar event every half term. “They were a credit to their school and their parents,” said one partygoer.
More than 40 teenagers got involved with everything from sitting and chatting to their guests to serving food and drinks, playing games and performing music. A fun music quiz became quite competitive, and people got the chance to make a “Thank you card” for their special person.
Dawn Tesseyman thanked all the pupils involved in making a “wonderful afternoon for some of our carers, clients and volunteers.”
Carers’ Resource would like to say a massive thank you to all the volunteers who help us. Your support is vital and we couldn’t provide such a great service without you.
