Volunteers鈥� Week celebrates the invaluable contributions made by so many people across the country 鈥� including our 糖心传媒 customers.听
From running breakfast clubs in our retirement living schemes to providing surplus food to neighbours, our customers make a real difference.听
One project that would not exist without the efforts of volunteers, is the Church Eaton Men’s Shed in Stafford, which provides a welcoming space for men to come together to help combat isolation and loneliness.听
It鈥檚 a place where they can have a coffee and a chat, share skills and get involved in practical projects that benefit themselves and the community.听
The project now has 12 members after launching in January.听
糖心传媒 customer, Dave Cann, is the project鈥檚 chairman. He runs the session every Wednesday and Friday from 10am to 2pm at Church Eaton Cricket Club.听
He previously ran a Men鈥檚 Shed in Wales and was keen to get involved with another project after moving to Stafford.听
Dave said: 鈥淢en don鈥檛 tend to talk about their problems face to face, but if you put a man at a work bench next to another man, working on something shoulder to shoulder, they鈥檒l start chatting away.听
鈥淲hen people are creating something with their own hands, taking a piece of wood at the beginning of the session and turning it into something, it gives them a sense of achievement too.听
鈥淲e work not only on individual projects, but group and community projects as well. We鈥檝e recently helped to do up the pavilion at Church Eaton Cricket Club and we鈥檙e also going to help clear a pond for an elderly lady in the community.鈥�听
Dave says joining a Men鈥檚 Shed 鈥榮aved his life鈥� during a period when he was feeling very isolated and he鈥檚 proud to now be able to offer that lifeline to others.听听
The former landscape gardener said: 鈥淚t literally saved my life when I was in a very dark place in 2013, feeling totally isolated and really into myself.听
鈥淭he last thing I wanted to do was join a Men鈥檚 Shed because of the head space I was in. But I decided to give it a go and it gave me a focus.听
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the thing about a Men鈥檚 Shed, it takes your mind off your problems for a few hours. That鈥檚 what a Men鈥檚 Shed is about.听
鈥淚 really look forward to running the sessions and meeting the different men who come along and listening to their stories.听
鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing to see people come in with little confidence, dragging their feet, and within a few weeks they鈥檙e almost bouncing in because they look forward to coming.鈥�听
Running every year since 1984, Volunteers鈥� Week provides a crucial opportunity to thank volunteers and recognise the value of their time, passion and skills. The campaign highlights the diversity and unity of volunteer work across the UK.听
It is led by the UK Volunteering Forum, a partnership between Volunteer Scotland, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) and Volunteer Now in Northern Ireland.听
The UK Volunteering Forum said: 鈥淰olunteers bring a richness to organisations across the country. There is no better time to recognise the diversity of our volunteers and celebrate the difference that volunteering makes than during Volunteers鈥� Week. Without volunteers many charities just simply could not function, with so many people giving up their time and going above and beyond. The week is a chance for all of us to show just how vital they are to charities and communities everywhere.鈥�听
The Church Eaton Men鈥檚 Shed is looking for new members to join and get involved in DIY projects, repairs and maintenance tasks, gardening and much more.听
To get involved or find out more, email churcheatonmensshed@gmail.com or call 07359520494.听