Mayfair Community Centre celebrates contribution of volunteers
Mayfair Community Centre in Church Stretton has been celebrating the contribution of its volunteers by presenting awards for many years of service.
At a recent Annual Volunteer Meeting, it was announced that 71 of Mayfair’s volunteers have been giving their time to support Mayfair for 10 years or more! Awards, and personal messages of thanks were handed out. In total 25 awards were given for 10 years of service, 22 awards for 15 years, 14 for over 20 years of service and 9 for those who have volunteered for a staggering 25 years or more!
The Community Centre opened its doors in 1997 and from the start volunteers were essential to support the services Mayfair provides to the Strettons area and beyond. The charity (Strettons Mayfair Trust) now offers 83 different services or groups, including Ring and Ride, support groups, befriending, hot meal delivery, day care and opportunities, cafes, a creche, a youth club, listening services, exercise and dance classes, arts and crafts, theatre screenings and more.
The Annual Volunteer Meeting was also an opportunity for discussion and sharing thoughts. A recurring comment was that volunteers find the time they give is mutually beneficial – as well as supporting others, they also gain a lot personally through doing so.
At the last count, 311 volunteers actively give their time to support Mayfair. In total over 592 hours of volunteer time are given to Mayfair every single week.
Chief Officer at Mayfair, Nicola Daniels, said “this incredible contribution from the community, for the community is what keeps Mayfair going. It has meant that thousands of people in the Strettons and beyond have been supported by our community centre over the past 27 years. Every volunteering contribution, big or small, makes a huge difference. There doesn’t seem a sufficient way to thank everyone who gives their time to make all this possible, but we are extremely grateful.”
Mayfair Volunteer Co-ordinator, Eve Simmonds-Jones added: “We’ve got a huge range of volunteering opportunities here at Mayfair and, with so many different services, we are always seeking new volunteers. We can be as flexible as needed and are very grateful for any time people may be able to give us – whether regularly or just occasionally.
"We aim to make sure our volunteers have fun and feel supported and valued. We are so lucky to have such an amazing volunteer team, we cannot thank them enough for everything they do – it all makes such a difference. If you’re interested in supporting Mayfair, you can give us a call on 01694 722077 or visit our website at mayfaircentre.org.uk ”
