Anne and Elgan are the new chair and vice chair of NCT’s Regional Volunteer Support Network (RVSN). We find out about their roles, their volunteering journey so far and why you might want to get involved with your local branch.
Anne: I started volunteering for NCT when my eldest son had just turned one. My NCT branch was facing closure and I felt it was too important a service for local parents to be lost, so I became Branch Coordinator.
Elgan (pictured with family): Following our NCT antenatal class, we went along to a local Nearly New Sale, and hosted some coffee mornings at our house before helping at the next sale.
Volunteering has been a family event in our house with my wife having held several roles in the branch, and our daughter and son ‘helping’ at local Nearly New Sales!
The RVSN is made up of Regional Coordinators and NCT’s volunteering team. The network’s role is to provide training and support Regional Coordinators to train and develop their regional teams. This underpins the support provided to branch volunteers across the UK, so they have the skills to support local parents.
Anne (pictured with family): Volunteering is full of proud moments from running your first coffee morning to parents offering to volunteer because they want to give something back.
The proudest moment for me personally was being asked to be a Regional Coordinator. All the hard work over the years paid off by being offered the opportunity to make a real difference across my region and across the UK via RVSN.
Elgan: My proudest moment was last year when we held a meeting with Assembly Members and the Health Minister at the Welsh Assembly to raise awareness of NCT’s Beyond Baby Blues campaign and the lack of a Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) in Wales.
This definitely increased awareness of NCT and our work on perinatal mental health issues in Wales.
Anne: Volunteering has probably saved me. It has helped me through becoming a stay-at-home mum of two boys after having worked since leaving school.
I have developed countless number of new skills, made lots of lovely friends and it gets me out of the house!
The benefits I have gained from volunteering have been huge.
When it comes to volunteering, I think NCT’s vision says it all – supporting parents to build a stronger society.
Elgan: The benefits I have gained from volunteering have been huge – I’ve made lots of new friends across the UK, the feel good factor of knowing you have helped somebody, as well as the training and experience for my CV.
Volunteering with NCT will give you an opportunity to learn new skills and rediscover old ones. Your branch will welcome you – whether you have an hour spare or a few to help!
Find out more about volunteering with your local NCT branch.
