Morrison Foundation helps Age UK Thanet grow instant volunteers

Everyone at Age UK Thanet is so grateful to the Morrison Foundation for their kind donation of £10,500 which primarily went towards saving our Volunteer Coordinator's role, so that Age UK Thanet could coninue building more volunteers to support locals throughout the pandemic.

Fundraising Manager, Jo Spiteri said 'They bought us enough time to ensure that we could survive throughout lockdown and adapt and also apply for lottery funds which have now been secured to run enhanced services with partners like Your Leisure & the Turner Contemporary.'

Vanessa Wood, CEO says 'We will continue to use our amazing volunteers to work alongside our amazing staff for our shopping service. They are definitely part of the team and invaluable to an organisation like Age UK Thanet. Our services post lockdown have been shaped by many of their views and skills and their input has been worth their weight in gold!' Our hub/home exercise sessions we deliver now came as a result of having volunteers from Your Leisure who helped during Covid-19. One fitness instructor called Gemma who volunteered suggested carrying out exercise sessions – which now happen every Monday and Friday.

Ian Barker, Manager for Your Leisure 'We are very proud and grateful to have been given this opportunity to provide physical and mental wellbeing activities for Age UK Thanet’s clients.' Another volunteer called Dee who was from the Turner Contemporary suggested art workshops that the art navigators could carry out at our hub – this now also happens on a Tues and Thurs

We’ve even employed our buddy box meal delivery volunteer Keith who really stepped up to help. We estimate that the value of voluntary support in hours over the last six months equates to 1 full-time and 1 part-time role in terms of shoppers, hot meal delivery and driving.

If anyone else would like to become a volunteer for Age UK Thanet, then please call Lou on 01843 223 881.