Two of our amazing volunteers, Paul & Mark are being recognised by Brighton & Hove Buses in their new campaign ‘Above & Beyond’ which celebrates people and organisations who go the extra mile in our local community, with images and information featured on the buses on Route 1 in the city. CTS volunteers like Paul & Mark help to make the centre a welcome refuge for everyone and we couldn’t run our service without their help.
Mark said: “There are many reasons why I enjoy volunteering for the Clock Tower Sanctuary. The main one is just to help and support our young clients take a few steps towards a better life. Sometimes this can be just to listen to them, or something practical like a phone call or accompany them to open a bank account. Other times it can just be to help provide a meal or a cup of tea.”
And Paul added: “I tell young people they can come to CTS to do their washing, get a food parcel. They might have issues they need help with which we can do with case working and sign posting them to get the right support and other services in the city. I’ve been helping them to find more stability. Just having a coffee with someone and helping them think about family stuff, talk about relationships, just regular conversations. They mean a lot. With the current COVID situation, you can see that young people adapt and that is so commendable, but a lot of them haven’t got any safety in their lives.”
In 2019 our superstar volunteers donated 6,040 hours of their time – equivalent to £54,360 (based on Living Wage). They’ve been vital in keeping our doors open this year, and supporting the Services team to ensure we could continue urgent provision throughout the pandemic.
Check out the campaign and read more about all the local heroes in our city here.
Thank you to all CTS volunteers, past and present, on behalf of the countless young people you’ve supported.