Two Volunteers attend a Special Garden Party
Our volunteers Debbie Thick and Avril McVittie were delighted to receive an invitation from the Duchess of Northumberland to a special garden party at The Alnwick Garden this month. Around 250 volunteers and carers from across the county were invited to attend with their partners or a guest, to be thanked for their hard work, dedication and commitment.
Pam Crawley, our Registered Manager commented “We were asked to nominate two of our volunteers to attend this special celebration, and we immediately decided on Avril and Debbie. They both work so hard for us and our residents, and attend every week to do the shop trolley, chat to our residents and accompany them to activities and outings. We’re very grateful for their dedication and we’re so pleased that they could be honoured in this way.”
Greggs provided a fantastic afternoon tea and guests were entertained by Robson’s Choice Northumbrian Pipers and The Vieux Carré Jazzmen.
Her Grace, The Duchess of Northumberland said: “There are so many extremely generous and extraordinary individuals in Northumberland who give up their time, selflessly, to help others in need.
“I hear so many moving stories of the things people do, for the benefit of others less fortunate, some working for charities, many just doing their own thing, frequently unnoticed, giving help where it is needed most. This is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to them for the really valuable work they do.
Debbie commented, “The Duchess made some welcome speeches and thanked everyone for coming and all the fabulous work that people had done. There was a delicious afternoon tea and then local deputies visited each of the tables to ask us about our volunteering – I was proud that they all knew about the Charlotte Straker Project, and they offered thanks and support. Following tea we were able to see the beautiful gardens and fountains and were presented with a little goodie thank you bag!”
Avril added “It was such a gorgeous day – helped by the sunny weather of course, and it felt marvellous to be able to experience such an event. A huge thank you to Pam who had nominated myself and Debbie. It was a truly memorable occasion.”
Berenice Groves, Chair of the Trustees commented “on behalf of our Board of Trustees, I’d like to say a huge thank you to all our volunteers for everything they do – they are at the heart of our organisation and we couldn’t manage any of our activities without them. Volunteering is so rewarding, and if you would like to join our small family to help with any aspect at Charlotte Straker House please contact us on the details below.”
Please email us at office@charlottestraker.org.uk or call 01434 633 999 (option 1).
