valued volunteers help centre to improve people’s mental health

A charity has been able to recruit new volunteers so it can continue helping people to improve their mental health and wellbeing, with the support of the believe housing community grants scheme.

For more than 40 years, Waddington Street Centre in Durham has relied on volunteers to help it provide a wide range of activities and support for people with mental health needs. 

And, with a £5,340 grant from believe housing, the centre ran a Valued Volunteers initiative to bolster its numbers in the past year and make sure the new volunteers feel the benefits of getting involved. 

The project created a range of opportunities for people to join its team of around 20 volunteers from administration, governance and support work to leading courses and physical activities and minibus driving.  

Anne-Marie Parkin, a Community Investment Coordinator at believe housing, attended a recent celebration event at the centre to present awards to volunteers. 

She said: “It was great to hear how the opportunities created through this initiative have benefited the volunteers, from making new friends and boosting their confidence and self-esteem to developing useful skills, experience and qualifications. 

“Alongside this, the volunteers are helping the centre to maintain and expand the range of important services it provides to help people with their mental health and wellbeing. 

“This brilliant project is improving lives of volunteers and visitors to the centre, including believe housing customers.” 

Steve Wakefield, Volunteer Coordinator at Waddington Street Centre, said: “The charity which was founded by volunteers has been in existence for over 40 years now.  

“Volunteers are as important to the operation of the centre as much now as they were in its early days.  

“They bring to it local knowledge and often skills that help the centre to not only maintain but to develop its services to users. We are grateful of the amazing support that we have received from believe housing with their interest in improving the mental health of people in communities in which they work.” 

To contact Waddington Street Centre call 0191 386 0702 or text 07471 785 529.