Meet our Volunteer, Lindsay

Lindsay has been volunteering with Nelson’s Journey for just over a year, we’ve asked her some questions about what she enjoys about her volunteering experience with us:

 

Why do you volunteer for Nelson’s Journey?

My reason for volunteering for Nelson’s Journey is simple. It provides much needed and unique care, advice and guidance to children who have been thrust into the adult world of acute grief.

Something that they are unlikely to be able to do for themselves is make sense of it – at Nelsons journey we do just that. We open the difficult conversations, we allow them to feel, we bring them together with others in similar situations allowing them to discover their own peer groups of support.

Having been a child of 10 and losing my father to suicide nothing was available to support me. My own husband died suddenly of a heart attack and left our 14 year old daughter in the same position as myself as a child.

I get a huge sense of pride being involved in Nelson’s Journey; to see the difference it makes to young lives that are navigating grief and trauma is the most worthwhile feeling I have experienced.

 

What events/activities have you volunteered at?

I have volunteered at some amazing events, Abseil, Easter Egg Hunt, Christmas Quiz, Baton of Hope however completing my first volunteer weekend at Hilltop activity centre near Sheringham has to be the highlight so far!

 

What do you enjoy most about volunteering?

There are so many elements which I enjoy about giving my time, the sense of purpose that it gives you is rewarding in itself. Hilltop weekends are the most fun, whilst difficult subjects are tackled the amount of fun the children have is wonderful – to see them come in, self-confidence on the floor and not really want to be there on day one to seeing them hug and exchange details with their new friends who now understand how they feel is the biggest take away possible.

As a volunteer I am extremely well looked after, the staff are all amazing as people and are a fiercely dedicated team, who I look forward to working with more in the future.

 

If you are interested in becoming a Nelson’s Journey Volunteer, you can find out more information here or call our team on 01603 431788