June 2010

Volunteers Party

Leeds Jewish Welfare Board hosted a thank you party for its many volunteers, at the Community Centre, on 22 April.

‘Our volunteers fill so many differing roles so this was a great opportunity for them all to meet each other and exchange views and experiences’, said Pauline Rowland, Manager, Older People’s Services. ‘It was interesting for new volunteers to meet longstanding volunteers and vice versa. Volunteering for the Welfare Board has become much more varied and as well as the more traditional roles of befriending, serving lunches, recording the ‘Listen’ newspaper and hospital escorting there are also other opportunities including work on the allotment project, computer training and helping in the wellfairshop’, added Pauline.

Hilda Mitchell has been a volunteer keep-fit teacher for 37 years and finds the experience extremely rewarding. ‘Volunteering is the best thing that has ever happened to me, said Hilda. “Helping people keep fit and well is the most important part of my life.”

‘Befriending can also be an intensely rewarding experience’, said chair of the volunteer committee, Bernice Pearlman, ‘We move in restricted circles and meeting different people from different circles can take you out of your safety zone and enrich your life’ she added.

‘We are so fortunate to have so many wonderful dedicated volunteers’, said LJWB, Chief Executive, Rebecca Weinberg, ‘this is just a small way for us to show our appreciation of their devotion.’

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer please contact us on 0113 2684211.