🌟 Volunteer’s Story – Margaret Grieve 🌟
This week around the UK, organisations are recognising and celebrating volunteers’ hard work as part of Volunteers’ Week (1st-7th of June). Organisations need support from their volunteers to provide valuable services to the community: our volunteers help in our offices, at our reception desks, and in our gardens! We also have members of staff who started at The Circle as volunteers, so we know volunteering can be a valuable way to recruit.
This year, we would like to shine a light on one of our long-standing volunteers. Margaret has been part of The Circle’s reception team since November 2017 as a recommendation from Apex Scotland. In May 2018, Margaret achieved an SCQF Level 5 in Customer Service through Quest Scotland. She used her experience at reception as evidence to gain her award,
Margaret has volunteered over 550 hours since June 2022 in The Circle Dudhope Castle. As an experienced volunteer receptionist, she supports new volunteers in learning the role and gaining confidence.
We asked Margaret about her time volunteering at The Circle:
Why did you want to volunteer?
“In the beginning, I was personally in a low place, and I wanted to get my self-esteem and confidence back. It was just getting myself out and building myself back up.”
Why did you choose The Circle?
“I was on a course with Apex Scotland and the trainer had approached me and told me The Circle was looking for volunteers for the reception. I came in for one shift on a Tuesday morning, and I stayed the whole shift and enjoyed it. I started doing Thursday mornings between 9-11 am and it was busy because you had the staff, volunteers and clients coming in. I enjoyed it and got to know a lot of people as well.”
What do you enjoy most about volunteering?
“The bit [I most enjoy] is obviously meeting the staff and getting on with them and trying to help them as much as I can, and meeting all the people that come in the door and giving them a warm welcome. Some of the people that come in, I know them by name, and through the time I have been here I have gotten to know quite a few of them. “
What does an average day look like at The Circle?
“I am normally on reception and helping to set up teas and coffees for bookings that come in. I get to do work on the computer, which I really enjoy. Before I came back to The Circle, I knew basic computing, but I am improving my skills.”
If you could give one piece of advice to someone thinking about volunteering at The Circle, what would it be?
“Be yourself.”
What do you hope to do in the future?
“I am getting older now, and I am thinking at the end of volunteering at The Circle, I would like to slow down and enjoy my and my husband’s retirement in 6 years.”
To thank her for her voluntary work at The Circle this year, we nominated Margaret for Room to Reward’s Hidden Heroes scheme. This will give her the opportunity to have a free weekend getaway in an unsold hotel room from one of Room to Reward’s partner hotels. Carrie from our The Circle Easterhouse also won a weekend getaway this year.
Our Dundee volunteers had an outing to the HMS Unicorn on Friday to celebrate Volunteers’ Week and the achievements they have had over the year!
You can read more about our volunteers: Yulia Skulskikh, Eddie Baines and Michael Ratcliffe.
If you are interested in joining our volunteer team, you can find current roles here:
Volunteer at The Circle Easterhouse, Glasgow – Reception & Admin
Volunteer at The Circle Dudhope Castle, Dundee – Reception & Admin
Volunteer at The Circle Dudhope Castle, Dundee – Garden
Or email [email protected] to find out more.