This year’s Volunteer Week celebration runs from Monday 2nd – Sunday 8th June.
Volunteers’ Week is an annual UK-wide campaign held from the first Monday in June to celebrate and recognise the contributions of volunteers.
Volunteers’ Week fosters connections between national organisations and grassroots groups, celebrating the spirit of volunteering that enriches communities each year.
We would like to express how thankful we are at ACE for all of the time and energy our volunteers have given to their community this year. From those who gave countless hours, to those who supported ACE events, through to those who simply make a cup of tea. Your time benefitted so many people and we are very grateful!
During Volunteer Week ACE would like to show our gratitude to all of our wonderful ACE volunteers by highlighting some of the projects which are currently being delivered in Ely and Caerau.
Dusty Forge’s Tuesday’s Lunch Club
Based at the Dusty Forge, the Tuesday Lunch Club is a volunteer-led project, which is part of the ACE Good Food Hub. They use excess food to avoid waste and feed the community a free hot delicious meal.
‘I feel enjoyment and a sense of being part of a team. I get more out of volunteering on this project than the people coming for the food.’ – ACE Tuesday Lunch Club Volunteer.
‘I like the community, the banter and the social aspects of volunteering on this project’ – ACE Tuesday Lunch Club Volunteer.
‘I have met lots of lovely people, I feel like I am giving back to the community and it makes me feel part of the community’ – ACE Tuesday Lunch Club Volunteer.
Sam Froud-Powell, Operational and Development Manager at ACE says ‘Volunteers provide an amazing warm welcome and healthy and nutritious food weekly, which brings the community together in a safe welcoming space. They are hard working, making sure people have good food, and creating wonderful healthy free meals with surplus food. It transforms our community centre into a vibrant meeting and eating spot.’
Diana Garden Project
The Diana Garden is a lovely green space in the middle of the residential area in Ely that was opened by Princess Diana 30 years ago. ACE are working on regenerating it and making it a space for community wellbeing, growing and learning.
‘Get’s me out of the house and use my noodle. I enjoy meeting new people, having new challenges and helping where I can’ – ACE Diana Gardener Volunteer
Steve Lyons, Diana Garden Development Worker says ‘It’s like you are in the middle of the country’s woodland, it’s not all about gardening. It’s amazing to see the local community families come and use the space, the children have ownership of the plants, they are excited to show their parents how their plants are growing.’
CAER Heritage Project
CAER now has a dedicated heritage community centre situated at the foot of an Iron Age hillfort in Caerau, Cardiff. Caerau is home to one of Wales’ oldest settlements, has millennia of expansive history and has an incredibly deep sense of community.
CAER aims to create a space where local heritage and local people come together. We work with other teams in ACE to address needs or interests but we also open up opportunities for community members to join in with academic/heritage activities such as excavations, conservation work and education outreach.
‘I really enjoy coming here, the people are really nice to me, helps me get out of my own head and turn the negative into positive’ – CAER Heritage Volunteer.
‘it’s like a second family here, we are all totally different but the same at the same time’ – CAER Heritage Volunteer
‘I was never into history, but now look at me, I love volunteering on the excavation dig and then spending the time afterwards cleaning the finds to see what else we can uncover’ – CAER Heritage Volunteer.
Lois Atkinson, CAER Centre Development Officer says‘Volunteers bring a diverse range of skills, such as: creativity; communication; teamwork; technical expertise, and that greatly enhance the effectiveness and reach of the project they support.’
