Submitted by Matthew Lloyd on
Craig was an Emergency Response Volunteer, or ERV, in Oldham. An Emergency Response Volunteer supports the local community when facing crisis or in need of emergency support.
Craig volunteered each Sunday at the European Islamic Centre as a Vaccination Volunteer. He spoke to us about his experiences volunteering:
"Before the pandemic I had never heard of Action Together or ever thought of becoming a volunteer. In the pandemic I needed to get out of the house to help with my mental health and give something back to the community. The NHS was struggling which spurred me on to volunteer. As long as I was following all the Government Covid-19 guidelines I would be fine. I would say Covid-19 had a positive impact in my volunteer journey as it empowered me to become a volunteer.
"My duties were supervising the front desk, making sure people had sanitised their hands and replaced their face masks.
"Volunteering has given my self esteem a boost and built my confidence. A member of the public, during my shift, told me I was "a hidden hero" for using my own time to give back to the Oldham community. I am proud and happy that I was able to make a positive contribution during a very tough time.
"As a result of volunteering I have developed new interests, as I now enjoy meeting new people and assisting them. I would say to anyone who has got time on their hands to stay positive and give it a go. The worst that can happen is that you don’t like it, but there are always opportunities to move onto other volunteer roles through the Volunteering team at Action Together. It was a brilliant experience. I was very well looked after, in touch with very friendly staff and never felt pressured. Go on, give volunteering a go!"
Find volunteering roles near you on our online Volunteer Directory.