This week is Volunteers Week, and a timely reminder to thank all group leaders who all give of their time freely to help and support estranged grandparents.
All too often we take it for granted that people will be there when we need them, but do we stop and say thank you?
I wonder if we think about how meetings are set up, be that zoom meetings of in person meetings, I suspect many don’t.
All the meetings I have had the pleasure to attend have been places of safety and comfort.
It all starts with someone wanting to help and to make a difference, and to share their experience.
Behind the scenes there will have been days and months of preparation, firstly a decision to the venue, how to pay the costs, that will be of hire of a room and the cost of tea,coffee and often cake!
Many group leaders carry the costs themselves, I would ask anyone who attends a meeting to make a donation if at all possible, there is a cost even for zoom meetings, if you want it to last longer than 6o minutes.
Once you have found your venue, you then need to publicise the event.
Facilitating your first meeting can be quite daunting, you don’t really know what to expect, so it takes courage to open those doors.
What I do know is that each and every one of the volunteers who run groups are life savers, many grandparents are in a very dark place when they first seek out help and support and many tell me that had it not been for a support group they don’t think they would still be here.
So, as we approach this special week, please remember how crucial these amazing people are, they are not seeking any recognition, they do what they do for totally selfless reasons, but I am here to raise their profile and to give my thanks to each and every one of them.
You are all outstanding human beings, you are making a difference and the world would be a much darker place without you.
