It’s Volunteers’ Week and we want to say a huge thank you to all of the incredible people who give their time to support Portland Charity.
Our volunteers play an important role across many different areas of the charity, from supporting learners and helping at events, to fundraising, working on the farm, maintaining our grounds and assisting within our coffee shop. Their time, dedication and enthusiasm help us continue creating meaningful opportunities and experiences for the people we support every day.
Volunteering not only helps our charity and local community, but also gives people the opportunity to build confidence, learn new skills, meet others and be part of something rewarding.
As part of Volunteers’ Week, we’re shining a spotlight on one of our volunteers, Dee Adcock, who has been volunteering with us for the past three years.
Dee Adcock’s Journey
Dee began volunteering with us shortly after retiring. After spending many years working, she wanted to give something back to her local community, and volunteering felt like the right fit. When she heard a new coffee shop was opening to support learners, she decided to get involved.
Her husband, Paul, was already helping with badminton coaching, and Dee spent some time trying different departments before finding her place in the coffee shop. She said the welcoming atmosphere and supportive staff made it an easy decision to stay.
Dee now volunteers once a week when she can, fitting it around travelling and time with family. Within the coffee shop, she supports our Hospitality & Catering learners and enjoys seeing the progress and confidence they build over time. She says the team are always understanding and flexible, which makes volunteering enjoyable and stress free.
Although she had never worked in this type of environment before, Dee has enjoyed learning new skills within the Coffee Shop and developing her understanding of how best to support our Hospitality & Catering learners. Throughout her volunteering journey, she has also grown in confidence. She says the support from Hospitality & Catering Tutor, Carol, and the wider team has helped her feel valued and comfortable in her role.
For Dee, volunteering has become something she genuinely enjoys.
“You forget about day-to-day things and just focus on what you’re doing. I don’t even see it as work, it’s just an enjoyable, social time with great people.”
Her advice to anyone considering volunteering is simple: give it a try, even if it’s only for a few hours a week. You never know how much you might enjoy it.
We would like to once again thank all of our volunteers for the difference they make across Portland Charity. Your support helps us continue providing opportunities, experiences and services for the people we support.
If you are interested in volunteering with Portland Charity, we would love to hear from you. Email us: graceturner@portland.ac.uk
#VolunteersWeek #MakingADifference