WREXHAM VOLUNTEERS, with experience of substance misuse and poor mental health, are giving back to the community and helping others in need.
Volunteers have been working alongside the non-profit furniture reuse organisation New 2 You to clean, fix and organise donated furniture.
Household items are then re-sold at a low cost to local community members, or donated in the form of ‘start-up packages’ to the homeless, Women’s Aid and young adults coming out of care, providing them with household essentials to re-start their lives.
Rita Walker, who runs New 2 You said: “The volunteers are a godsend to us some days!
Because we’re a non-profit organisation we rely on them to help us work through the stock that comes in”
Daniel Brown, best known as ‘Boots’, is currently staying at St John’s House and volunteers with Cyfle Cymru on a weekly basis.
Daniel, 34, said: “I’ve been volunteering at New 2 You every fortnight for a few months now because it gets me out and about, and gives me something to do”
“Outdoor gardening work isn’t for me, so this is something different that I enjoy” He said.
Cyfle Cymru supports individuals in developing confidence, gaining qualifications and seeking employment opportunities.
The project works alongside local companies to host a variety of volunteering events, from gardening and ground maintenance work, to retail work and walking clubs.
Cyfle Cymru peer mentor Lynn Shearer said: “In town, some participants may be recognised as homeless and won’t be approached, but when they come here, people ask them for help around the store and it makes them feel really useful! This type of work gives volunteers a sense of normality that they might be missing.”
The EU-Funded peer-mentoring project recognises the value of providing individuals with volunteering opportunities and host a number of events across Wales.
Want to know more about Cyfle Cymru in your local area? Get in touch!
http://dacw.co.uk/en/about-cyfle-cymru/
Cyfle Cymru is delivered by members of the DACW Consortium.
Cyfle Cymru is part of the Welsh Government’s Out of Work Service, supported by the European Social Fund.
