Volunteers walk 5km to mark National Volunteering Week

National Volunteering Week took place in June and a group of our volunteers from South Wales came together to plan a five-kilometre sponsored walk to raise awareness of volunteering opportunities.

The volunteers, many of whom are themselves blind veterans, took to the pathways around Bute Park in Cardiff on 18 June.

Volunteers play an essential role in our charity; they provide invaluable support to our veterans offering transport, assistance and companionship which helps to reduce social isolation.  

Olga says:

“I wanted to organise this event to bring our volunteers together and to celebrate them. It was a lot of fun to do something different with them all.”

The volunteers were joined by three members of staff from the Cardiff branch of Monmouthshire Building Society who are supporters and volunteers of our charity. At the conclusion of the walk, the group were hosted at the building society. Olga says:

“I want to say a huge thank you to the Monmouthshire Building society for not only joining us on the walk and hosting us afterwards so beautifully but also for their ongoing support for the charity and our blind veterans."

Among those who took part were blind veteran Noeline and her husband John, who both volunteer for our charity. Noeline runs a lunch club in Cardiff bringing together blind veterans for a regular social meet up. John volunteers as a driver escorting blind veterans to the club or to vital appointments.  

Noeline, 73, has been supported by us since she lost her eyesight five years ago to macular degeneration. She says:

“I began to be supported by the charity just as the Covid pandemic led to the country being locked down but throughout 2020, I was regularly contacted by staff from the charity who checked up on me to make sure I was ok. 
 
“These people had never met me. Once we were allowed to meet again, I decided I wanted to do something to give back and show others the kindness and companionship that I’d been given.”

Another volunteer, Phil, has been a driver for around a year. He says:

“I wanted to volunteer because it’s a worthy cause and I found I had time on my hands. 
 
“Volunteering means a lot to me; it gives me a sense of achievement. If you have a heart of compassion and a spirit of empathy, volunteering for Blind Veterans UK can be a satisfying and rewarding experience. Volunteering enriches the lives of the blind veterans but also my own.” 

Assistant Branch Manager for the Cardiff Monmouthshire Building Society, Catherine, says:

“We wanted to volunteer with Blind Veterans UK because we truly value giving back to the community and making a positive impact wherever we can. Supporting those who have served our country is especially meaningful to us, and we feel it's important to show appreciation for their sacrifices. We're also passionate about learning how we can best serve others, and volunteering with Blind Veterans UK gives us the opportunity to grow, connect, and contribute in a way that really matters. It's a chance to make a difference while honouring those who have given so much."

The walk took place during our Armed Forces Month campaign which calls on people to organise activities to celebrate and commemorate key dates in the month of June, the anniversary of D-Day and Armed Forces Day, while raising vital funds to support our work.    
 
You can show your support to Olga and the volunteers by visiting their fundraising page: