By Marianne Sweet
People learned about how they can make a difference to their community at the Stroud Volunteering Fayre.
Hosted by Stroud Town Council, the event was staged on the forecourt of The Subscription Rooms.
Volunteer-based community organisations attending included Stroud Against Racism, The Door, Stroud Arts Festival, Stroud Valleys Project, Hawkwood, The Book Festival, Home-Start, Community Connexions, Girlguiding Stroud, Citizens Advice, Cotswold Canals Trust, Marah, Network of Stroud Hubs and Stroud Pride as well as many more.
A number of interested people signed up to help out and heard the testimony of the existing volunteers who were keen to share the ways in which volunteering was a lifestyle that gave them back more than they gave.
Jo, who volunteers for The Door explained how the organisation had become like a family to her.
“Helping young people to have better mental health is so satisfying and means I can develop my own strengths,” she said.
Sarah Sutch from Stroud Stands with Ukraine thanked stallholders. “It was wonderful to chat with so many organisations and them be so supportive in helping Ukranians,” she said.
To find out more about volunteering with any of the organisations involved, please contact kate.buckingham@stroudtown.gov.uk or use the website of Go Volunteer Glos www.govolunteerglos.org
