For as long as I can remember, I have always had a strong sense of community, and I believe in paying into and supporting the community around me and, when I can, communities further afield. Over the years, I have participated in and arranged many fundraising events ranging from boxing matches, a 10K run, a London Triathlon, and I have even managed a skydive from 15,000 feet. All of these have had positive outcomes for the charities I have supported, but have also given me a real sense of achievement. I have met some great people and made some really good friends. Currently, I am volunteering with CommUNITY Barnet and Nutmeg, where I have been a volunteer since 2011, which I really enjoy.

I joined CommUNITY Barnet as a volunteer within their Volunteer Centre, and I can honestly say that nowhere else has given me more satisfaction and such a sense of pride in the work I delivered, connecting local residents with great volunteering opportunities for such a wide range of charities.

In 2014, I was delighted when I was given the opportunity as Barnet Youth Volunteer Advisor as a paid member of the CommUNITY Barnet team. Sadly, the Barnet Volunteer Centre then lost its funding, and we were faced with the possibility of having to close the Volunteer Centre down. This was a very sad time for me, as I felt the Volunteer Centre delivered a brilliant local service for all our residents and charities.

It was at this time that Jennifer and I decided to continue to run the Volunteer Centre as volunteers, offering a volunteering service delivered by volunteers. In order to shore up our delivery, we were able to recruit three other great volunteers, who have all dedicated one day a week to continue to run this service and provide essential support and information to Barnet residents, helping them into volunteering opportunities.

At this time, I would like to thank Helen for her continuous support to the Volunteer Centre, Julie for all her encouragement to the volunteer team, and Jennifer for helping me to manage the team of volunteers and their on-going training.

Volunteering for CommUNITY Barnet has proven to me what volunteering is all about. I have been able to develop new skills that have enhanced my CV, increased my confidence and self-esteem levels, and I have made some great friends but more importantly, I have been able to give back to the community I live in.

Since all of this has happened, I have now undertaken another paid part-time position in CommUNITY Barnet as a Timebank Officer, but I continue to volunteer within the Volunteer Centre, as I believe strongly in the difference this can and has made to the residents and charities within Barnet.