George's Story - From Volunteer to Trustee

George's Story - from Volunteer to Trustee

I was introduced to Family Friends many years ago. It was perfect timing; I had been looking for a fulfilling challenge to do in my spare time and I have not looked back since becoming involved. I have been fortunate enough to work with three lovely families as a volunteer and served as a trustee for the past seven years. I have learned a lot and met some really great people along the way. 

One of the main lessons I learned is never to underestimate the value of a visit for either the family or a volunteer. It doesn't seem a lot, after all it is only an hour or two per week, but sometimes by simply being there I was appreciated. Even on the odd visit when it wasn't easy, I always came away feeling much better for it. I looked forward to the visit every week and considered it a true privilege to be able to help, and to be trusted and valued in the role by both the family and the charity.  

The training and ongoing support given by Family Friends played a crucial role for me, not just in my volunteering, where without it I would not have had the confidence nor experience to help a family, but I have also been able to use some of the skills and techniques in my own family. 

I like to think I made a difference to the families I worked with and I have benefited in many ways too.  

You could say it's been a win-win situation for us all.    

George Smith

Trustee