Volunteering – It’s A Love Thing!

Will you be doing something incredible for Valentine’s Day?  For many couples, this particular celebratory day will be represented by the exchange of flowers, chocolates, gifts; a romantic meal to a restaurant or even a trip to Paris (in pre-covid days).  However, for one lovely couple, Valentine’s Day this year will involve a very different way of spreading their love!

Bridget Murphy and her partner Damian Shields from Drumintee, Co Armagh, will certainly be spending their Valentine’s Day together although this inspirational pair will be creating their own memories by volunteering as Meeters & Greeters at the Covid Vaccination Centre in South Lakes Leisure Centre, Craigavaon.  A role which offers a warm and encouraging welcome to many who will be feeling nervous and vulnerable.

No stranger to the world of volunteering, Bridget explains her own volunteering journey and why she and Damian love it so much ….

“When I was at secondary school, I volunteered at a local Gateway Club in Newry.  It was a number of years before I had the opportunity to get involved again but in 2014 I was online, trying to purchase tickets for the Balmoral Show.  The Show was sold out, but I noticed a link to volunteering at the show and when I clicked it, it brought me to the Volunteer Now website and I’ve never looked back!

That was my first year of being involved as a Volunteer Showmaker and have since got involved with the show every year.  This also led to my volunteering at events such as the Gran Fondo, Tall Ships Festival and the Irish Open in Royal County Down.  Damian could see the enjoyment that I got from each event and became interested in taking part himself.  His first experience was volunteering with the Northern Ireland Golf Open at Galgorm and since then we have volunteered together at many events including the NI Open and the Irish Open each year that it has been held in NI, and in 2020 when it was behind closed doors as a result of the Pandemic.”

Bridget added; “We have made so many friends and learned new skills through our volunteering and when we can, we try to make the experience into a bit of a holiday depending on where the events are being held.”

With research revealing that an amazing 74% of people in Northern Ireland cite personal enjoyment as the top reason they volunteer – it would confirm that volunteering is indeed a love thing!

If you are interested in doing something incredible with your other half or if you are single and looking for love – why not consider finding your perfect match through volunteering?   Have a look on www.volunteernow.co.uk  where we can connect you with a huge range of opportunities in your area or email: info@volunteernow.co.uk for more information.