For Colin, volunteering began as a way to give back after a period of personal challenge.
“It was in the Autumn of 2012. I had been unwell for a year and had just started to get better. I was sitting in my flat one evening and had the thought that now my health was better, I could use my spare time to help others achieve their dreams. I had always considered volunteering but didn’t know how to get connected to an organisation. My colleague suggested Volunteering Canterbury. I looked at the website and found numerous opportunities that appealed to me. Many didn’t quite match my availability. However, I came across an advert for Delta Community Trust. I contacted them, and made an appointment to attend their disco evening,” Colin recalls.
Volunteering Canterbury’s mission has always been to connect people like Colin with meaningful opportunities that benefit both the individual and the wider community. For Colin, that first night at Delta Community Trust became the start of a seven-year journey filled with friendship, laughter, and shared experiences.
“From the moment I walked into the building I was thoroughly welcomed into the community. The sheer joy and happiness that was infused in every person I met was uplifting. The clients, who would later become friends, were a mix of people with their own health and life challenges. They were there to connect with friends and enjoy an evening out. As time passed across the 7 years I had been volunteering with them, I became a part of their community. I would help on the disco or movie nights, held every fortnight. I would chat, and dance and laugh. I helped out at the Christmas party. I attended the celebrations to thank the volunteers, the Friday community lunch, and also volunteered during my holidays.”
Through these experiences, Colin witnessed the profound impact of a supportive community. “One day the person in charge of the group said to me that they were always grateful to me for my help. I replied that ‘they had given me far more than I had ever given them.’ They embraced me and made me a part of their extended family. I always remember that first night at the disco. The clients were able to take the microphone and announce their personal news. One person got up and announced that he was back! He had been away, and now he was BACK! I can still remember the unfettered cheers that reverberated around the room. Then a lady got up to describe how the previous day she had been to the hairdresser… on her own! People cheered and called out her name. That room was filled with genuine support and appreciation for these people. They had achieved human milestones, and their friends and community were proud of them. It struck me what a supportive community they were.”
For Colin, volunteering has been a two-way experience. “Volunteering is an opportunity to help others as well as yourself. To enrich the lives of others and have your life enriched in return. To help create supportive and caring communities, which connect together to make a more caring and supportive society. To give without expecting to receive anything in return.”
