Why I Love Volunteering At The Stuart Low Trust

I have been volunteering at the Stuart Low Trust for three years, coming in once a week to help with general admin. I really enjoy doing this. 

Being in the office means that I see the full range of activities that Stuart Low Trust provides. To my mind everything that they put on is so great for boosting people’s lives and improving their well-being. 

Understanding how the Stuart Low Trust works 

From the Friday Evening Events to all of the Saturday Wellbeing Workshops, which offer Chi Kung , mindfulness, massage yoga dance singing, there is something for everyone!  

The organisation also runs monthly visits, either to places of natural beauty or artistic interest. The art workshops at the Estorick are always popular as are the choir and gardening group. There is also the Philosophy Forum of people who want to discuss the meaning of life, which is amazing. 

I think the broad range of activities offered by the Stuart Low Trust is fantastic! 

And it’s all free of charge for participants. 

Seeing the positive impact on volunteers  

Also being in the office I can see that the sessions wouldn’t work without volunteers. They are absolutely essential to keeping all the projects going. They are crucial. I am particularly impressed with the Friday Evening Event volunteers, who pitch up every Friday without fail, even if it’s Christmas Day. 

The main thing about volunteering in the office is that it’s heartening to see how well the office is run. It runs very efficiently, even though the organisation runs on a shoestring. 

Understanding how participants feel  

Part of my volunteering role involves looking at the session evaluation forms. This enables me to see, in black-and-white, what the participants have said and feel about the projects.  

All projects are very much appreciated and it’s apparent that there is a benefit to all the sessions that are run. 

Benefits of volunteering at a local charity  

While the volunteers support all of the projects, I have a strong sense that the trust also supports the volunteers. Firstly, by making them feel welcome and part of the team. I think is very rewarding for people who are volunteering here. It means that they have more to offer, they can value their experiences more and allow them to give their best. 

The trust also provides training, which I think is quite unusual and is beneficial for volunteers. 

I have volunteered a lot in my life and I know that I always gain more than I have to offer. 

There is something about working with other people for a common cause. Also it’s nice to meet different people. I’m very pleased to volunteer at a local charity. 

Experiencing kindness and generosity  

I have been very pleased to witness the approach by all members of staff Towards both volunteers and participants. The staff show kindness and generosity at all times.  

For me, it’s been a pleasure volunteering at the organisation. 

Click through to find out more about volunteering role at the Stuart Low Trust.