National Volunteer Week 2023
National Volunteer Week is an annual celebration of volunteers contributing within their communities in all kinds of ways. At STAA we are excited to join National Volunteer Week again for 2023, and this year we will be running a series of taster sessions for potential volunteers to come and see what we get up to!
National Volunteer Week is also a chance to reflect and celebrate the last year too – and as I reflect on the many, many tasks that have been undertaken by volunteers, I never cease to be amazed – in fact it feels like the impact goes up year on year!
In fact, our ‘stats’ tell us this year 93 volunteers have joined us in one way or another this year!
We are so proud of the number of individuals, amount of commitment, and quantity (and quality) of activity undertaken by our volunteers. It is great to have a volunteer community where we benefit from the commitment and experience of regular volunteers, alongside the fresh energy and curiosity of occasional volunteers too.
This year, volunteers have also given us more feedback and insight into what their volunteering means to them, and it is so wonderful to see so many and varied benefits and personal journeys.
I would like to take a moment to mention a small but special portion of our volunteer team, who have volunteered for 15 years (or thereabouts)! I myself started with STAA as a volunteer in 2007, and at that time, volunteering was only just gaining momentum, supporting the restoration of the whole site, and the early stages of the creation of the Heritage Display Garden.
It is amazing that some of the people I met at that time, are still actively volunteering!
So a special mention to Tina, Paul, Frances, Charles and John – We particularly celebrate your time and support, and the experience and knowledge you continue to offer. Thank you.
Lucy Kennedy
Service Manager for Horticulture, Nature and Volunteering.
Become a volunteer
If you would like to support us as a volunteer through wildlife conservation, gardening or heritage, you can find out more and apply here: https://staa-allotments.org.uk/volunteering-with-staa/
