After our youngest daughter was born I took some time out to take care of our children so that my wife could go back to work, but alongside part time work I still wanted to feel like I was doing something useful and gaining some new experience. I was already volunteering with the Food Bank, so I wanted to do something different, whilst still contributing to a cause I cared about. Volunteering with DASH proved absolutely perfect for me. It enabled me to utilise skills developed in my professional life in the cultural industry, whilst also gaining valuable insight into the workings of an entirely different sector. I was born and raised in Durham, so it was great to work with a local charity. Everybody’s very kind and welcoming too, which definitely helps.
My work with DASH has centred around fundraising, building on my background of bid writing to apply for funding for a number of different DASH projects, managing to raise money to support a great local charity working in a challenging sector. I’ve always felt supported, whilst at the same time feeling able to take pieces of work and run with them when there’s been the opportunity to do so.
DASH provides an invaluable service supporting homeless people and those at risk of homelessness, doing difficult work which really needs to be done. I’ve loved volunteering with DASH and knowing that some of what I’ve done has made some difference to the lives of DASH residents is brilliant. The opportunity to use existing skills, learn something new, and do something positive all at once is one that doesn’t come along very often, and I’d highly recommend volunteering with DASH to anybody.
