Volunteer Comments Page

NURSERY/TODDLER VOLUNTEER

"My son was 1 year old when I offered to help out. With 'experience as a mum' volunteering gives me time to switch off from being a scatty mother and wife and be me, but if there weren't enough volunteers, then these things wouldn't happen. I do it both for myself and the Community. Volunteering is a good opportunity to meet people of different origins and I have met a lot of lovely people through Bath Place. I would recommend people who haven't been to Bath Place to come down and try it - it's brought me out, I used to be really quiet." Rachael Bricknall

"I found myself at every toddlers' session, with another child in the nursery, often hanging around without the kids and it just made sense to come along and help. I like winding up the children, making them laugh, say please and thank you or call me by my name. I have a short fuse with my own child but quite a lot of time for other children. The experience I gained volunteering at Bath Place, together with loads of advice from people who have been through it has helped me to plan for the future, after being a bit of a drop-out at school. Later, by the time my younger child is at school, I hope to make it to University... I never realised what went on at Bath Place. It's a loving, warm, welcoming place, with so many different characters" where I have learnt a lot about other people and my children can feel safe and relaxed." Daina Meggitt

"Just sit back and relax for a few moments, start to imagine you're on a luxurious barge that doubles up as a floating restaurant. You depart from Radford Semele, and take a slow trek up to the Welsh Road. You're opening locks, sunbathing, and socialising. Now imagine you're on the boat with fifteen other people - people you don't know too well. They may be from a different background to you. They may be single, married, have children (young or old). They may have jobs, others won't. Only real thing you all have in common is Bath Place Community Venture and being a volunteer. Well, that was us lot on the 10th July 2004. We spent the day learning more about each other and what our roles are in the Community Venture. We also found out what each other liked, what they gained out of it (hope to gain) and some personal stuff too which I think everyone will agree was quite funny to hear!" Daina Meggitt

CAFE VOLUNTEER

"That's Fine" When we asked Debbie Tatrn whether she would like to tell us about her three years spent volunteering in the kitchen at Bath Place she said "that's fine". Debbie started here on a placement while doing a catering course, feeling a bit nervous to begin with but quickly making lots of friends on her Friday visits. With previous experience in the kitchen at the Pulse Cafe, Debbie has always enjoyed this kind of work and likes all the meals that she cooks. She never gets into arguments over any of the background music in the kitchen - and is an easy-going person with "no dislikes". Highlights at Bath Place have included Christmas, serving at the tables before sitting down for the big staff dinner afterwards. While volunteering here she has had the chance to complete a food hygiene course, giving her a real sense of achievement - enjoyable at the time and useful afterwards. Forty next year, Debbie lives in Dale Street, going to the gym on Tuesdays and relaxing to disco music on her walkman. Debbie will begin a one-year course in Cookery, Drama and Computers at mid-Warwickshire College this autumn and although she's happy to stay here as a volunteer this would give her more chances of finding a paid job.

FOOD CO-OP VOLUNTEER

"When I volunteered to do the Food Co-op I thought I could do that and in the next instant I can't do that... I said to myself why not at least give it a go. Very brave words, I can tell you, but it was one of the best things I have ever done and I have not looked back since. From that day to this I can honestly say it has been a pleasure to see the Food Co-op grow from strength to strength, and know that I had something to do with it. If you had told me all that time ago that I would not only be setting it up but ordering and pricing the fruit and veg ...and balancing the books at the end, I would have said "no way Jose", but I have done that and more." Mick Ashley

OFFICE VOLUNTEER

"Volunteering here at Bath Place has given me the chance to write and draw a lot of things and also convinced me that I want to spend much more time doing this! This re-launched Newsletter lets us tell you the stories our way - it should be twenty pages long, because there are so many volunteers doing different things. ....but, we all know that we are committed to helping Bath Place do what it can for the community....so there!" Nick Rabson

"Umm... Why Volunteer? ...cos it's given me a chance to build up my confidence, using some skills I always thought I had and others I never dreamed of! Here at Bath Place I'm doing that with friends I can trust. I also know that volunteering helps other people in Leamington Old Town, one of the most exciting parts of the Midlands." Nick Rabson

"One of my other major volunteering roles is editor of the Volunteer Newsletter. When I first started doing this I thought I would never be able to do it. But I was wrong. Every time I found things too hard to do or ran out of steam there was always someone there to give me encouragement or advice on what to do next. The more I put in to it the more I got out of it. The more I got out of it the better the Newsletter. When I first started doing it I never thought I could produce work of the standard that I have and been PROUD of it." Mick Ashley