Mike’s story, Volunteers’ Week

Volunteers’ Week

#VolunteersWeek is a UK-wide campaign from 2nd to 8th  June to celebrate and recognise the invaluable efforts of volunteers. At Nacro, we recognise the important role our volunteers play in contributing to our mission of achieving positive social change, and we make sure to support them on their journey.

Mike’s story

Mike is a volunteer at Greater Manchester Outdoor Learning, delivering outdoor learning to young people and adults, including young people with SEN needs. Mike retired from being an insurance claims consultant and decided he wanted to try something completely different and give back to his community. Mike runs the Nacro cycling hub which won the North West Community Club of the year, as well as supporting with running bush craft workshops and Duke of Edinburgh Award training.

What do you get out of volunteering?

“I’ve done all sorts of things in this volunteer role and got so much out of it.

I setup the cycling hub because I just enjoy cycling in all its shapes and forms and wanted to share that with people in the community who could benefit. It’s a project teaching young people to ride a bike for free, as well as offering the opportunity to borrow a bike or have a guided trail round the park with our volunteers.

I enjoy supporting people the young people. You support them to become the best person they can be. You see them develop over time. Help them develop practical skills that challenge them, improve their confidence. It’s simple things that make a big difference.”

Why volunteer with Nacro?

“I thoroughly recommend volunteering with Nacro! You get a tremendous buzz out of it. Worth more than money when you see a response to the work you put in as a volunteer. You will also become good friends with the people you volunteer with, as it’s such a shared sense of purpose.”