Our volunteers programme has always been a vital part of The Horsebridge providing help with everything from reception desk cover to ushering at film matinees, website design to delivering flyers and so much more in between.
This support works both ways though.
Alongside offering more practical volunteer opportunities, The Horsebridge has always provided a safe and friendly place for volunteers who benefit from a bit more support, care and regular activity as part of their weekly routine.
After the devastating impact of the covid pandemic, we had to adapt and reduce the customer facing roles for our more vulnerable volunteers.
Determined to still provide a place and purpose for these volunteers, with support from donations we decided to create a small regular volunteer group using craft activities to provide a fun and social place to meet, chat to others and learn new skills.
This group has since grown to include many of our other regular volunteers who have bonded wonderfully together and now support each other throughout the year.
This craft group is now deeply embedded in our creative programme. With the support of our Artistic Director, the volunteers help shape creative projects, regularly make work for our shop and Christmas Market and have been integral to public art projects and installations including our Jubilee hand made tea party, Christmas Star display at Tesco’s and our recent Antarctic Mural display.
Many of our volunteers have been with us for years, some as long as 15 and are an integral part of our team.
Our craft group is a very special part of our regular activities, during a recent session one of our volunteers said:
‘When I wake up and remember it’s a Horsebridge day I get the same lovely feeling as when it was fish and chip Friday at school’
We couldn’t have put it better ourselves.
