Charity’s celebration to thank its army of volunteers

More than 40 volunteers have attended a special celebration organised by Westbank Community Health and Care to thank them for their tireless hard work and dedication throughout the year.

The Exminster based charity relies on an army of volunteers to deliver its extensive range of health and wellbeing services across Devon. These include Devon Carers, which supports around 32,000 unpaid carers across the county; Westbank’s Neighbourhood Friends and Patient Transport services, which support vulnerable and isolated people in the community; the Community Cookery School; Exminster based community café Coffee On The Corner; Starcross food larder; local community based activities and Westbank's Health Walks programme, which  offers organised daytime walks across Devon that everyone can join. 

Volunteers who attended the celebration at the charity’s Healthy Living Centre in Farm House Rise at Exminster were treated to a delicious afternoon tea with scones and traybakes donated by local wholesale bakery Truly Treats and jam and cream from Exeter Vale Tesco. Exminster Community Primary School choir and Exeter Community Folk Orchestra provided musical entertainment, and Exeter LUSH provided ‘thank you’ toiletry gifts.

Westbank’s Volunteer Engagement Manager Pip Morrison said, ‘We plan to make this an annual celebration event to say a huge thank you to our wonderful volunteers. Without their tireless hard work and dedication, our services could not provide the huge breadth of support to so many. Our volunteers don’t volunteer for recognition, they do it to give something back and to make a difference to the lives of others – which they do every day - so it’s really important that we recognise their work and say thank you”.

Pip added, “We are thrilled to link up with volunteer recognition charity Room to Reward, who award free hotel stays through their range of hospitality partners to inspirational volunteer ‘Hidden Heroes’. We were lucky to have five of our volunteers recognised in this way. I’d like to say thank you again to each and every Westbank volunteer. You’re all amazing!’

Photo by Andra Patriche.