GKV's Volunteers

Volunteers are the lifeblood of Kingston. So many people giving their time and skills for free to help out in our local community. Without volunteers many organisations would be unable to operate and therefore services to people in need would be reduced.

GKV have always involved volunteers and because of them we have been able to develop and grow. We achieved Investors in Volunteers (IiV) the national quality standard that recognises best practice in volunteer management and also demonstrates how we involve volunteers in our organisation and the value we put on them.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our volunteers, past and present, for their commitment and contribution to GKV. Without your enthusiasm and the skills you share with the rest of the team, we would not be so successful and our office would be a lot duller!

Sindhi Channa

My name is Sindhi Channa.

I help out a organisation called Go Kingston Volunteering every Friday morning part time.

I enjoy helping out because it's fun and I like being with other people.

I have been helping out from the beginning of February. 

I work on the computer on the reception desk. I do database work.

Sindhi is able to volunteer with Go Kingston Volunteering thanks to a grant from Access to Volunteering, which has allowed us to purchase accessible IT and equipment. Read more about this grant.

Douglas Craik

Before I retired I had practically no involvement with the voluntary sector, but within a month or so of stopping work I realised I needed to be doing something fairly regularly to keep my mind busy. I also felt that I had some managerial skills to offer.

Many years ago I was in the regular and then Territorial Army. One of the national charities that helps ex-service people and their dependants is SSAFA-Forces Help (Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association) and I offered some of my time to them to support those that have given part of their lives in the service of their country but now need support. I am now the organiser for the South West of London with about 30 caseworkers helping about 500 ex-service people per year. This role takes between one and 30 hours a week- mostly unpredictably.

In 1972 I joined the (Scottish) National Trust and since then have visited 100's of properties across the UK. These buildings depend on volunteers to bring them alive and open to the public and I felt that now I had time I could do my part. I took on the role of driving a "Customer Courtesy Vehicle" (a stretched golf buggy) one day a week at Osterley Park, Isleworth. On a typical day I will transport 50-60 people with walking difficulties from the car park to the house- in most cases they would be unable to visit without this, great fun in the good weather but more challenging on a wet windy winter day. Part of my aim was to do a simple task with no great intellectual challenge but somehow I have also become the treasurer for the house's supporter group.

Finally I have a volunteer role in the Go Kingston Volunteering mainly organising a team of volunteers who will help the local authority in an emergency but various other tasks have arisen- including once dressing up a Zebra to help encourage volunteer recruiting- it is a very variable business being a volunteer.

Anita J Webster

I have enjoyed my time here so far and have been doing different things. I have learnt new things doing some database and practicing V Base, which I haven't done before.

Everyone is friendly and easy to get along with. I like having my own desk too! I also like my hours 10 till 2."

I look forward to coming back after my holiday to do more. Keep up your good work!

 Hilary Pring

I have been lucky in that I have always enjoyed working and found I still wanted to do so after retiring from my teaching post in secondary education. I wanted to do something very different so 'Googled' and found the do-it website which showed several attractive possibilities.

I now work at GKV for 4 hours a week, interviewing potential volunteers and carrying out general administration. The position has lived up to expectations with the job being varied and interesting. As with most of the opportunities advertised by GKV/do-it I followed an excellent induction programme including familiarisation with the different software used for the various tasks. The 'real' staff I work with have all been totally approachable and friendly and will always stop whatever they are doing if I have a query I can't handle.

Volunteering has given me a chance to see how the Third Sector operates and I hope to work in it for some time to come.