
ALISON's Volunteer Story
Alison volunteers at Clem’s Garden as a gardener.
How did you find out about volunteering?
Via the local Facebook group. There was a post about the random act posies that had been distributed at HRI I think.
What type of activities do you usually do as a volunteer?
Anything and everything! I’m best at digging and weeding but generally doing anything that is needed to be done!! You never quite know what you’re going to do until you look at the blackboard!
What do you like about your volunteer role?
I have volunteered for years with Girlguiding and in the past with the National Trust Marsden Moor. My MO for volunteering is always to give back to others – whether it’s nurturing and providing opportunities to young people, conserving nature or, in this role, growing beautiful cut flowers! I find that I am fed by providing joyful opportunities for others.
Whilst I only joined Clem’s Garden at the start of the year, I feel like I’ve been there for ages. The fellow volunteers are just wonderful human beings – so varied in their backgrounds and yet we appear to have so much in common at the same time. It’s a joy to spend a couple of hours each week in the real haven of calm simplicity that is hiding out of sight behind electronic gates!
I love growing all of the beautiful plants that I don’t have space to do in my garden, learning more about plant growing, picking up tips, meeting like-minded people, having fresh air and digging! I absolutely love the process of seeing things changing in the garden week by week and I particularly like the sight of bunches of ‘our flowers’ being walked around the neighbourhood on a Friday!
How has volunteering made a difference to you?
Reminded me that I need to prioritise time for doing things that I like!!
Find a volunteering role
Search for your perfect volunteering role here https://tslkirklees.org.uk/volunteering-roles.