Before Christmas, Connie Lynch  joined us as a new volunteer to help with our fundraising efforts. A veritable powerhouse, she single-handedly raised over £200, as well as undertaking a range of other tasks. We caught up in January to reflect on her experience so far … 

What is your role at No.1?

My role is volunteer fundraising assistant, which means I help with some of the background work like creating the fundraising packs and updating records on the database.

What attracted you to No.1?

I am very lucky to still have all my grandparents, who I am very close to and spend a lot of time with. Covid has made this more challenging, and it made me realise how easy it is for the older generation to become isolated from society. The core values of No.1 stuck out to me and I love the idea of reducing isolation by having befrienders.

How did you find working on the Christmas campaign?

The Christmas campaign was so much fun! Jennifer let me redesign the fundraising pack which I was a bit worried about at first but I really enjoyed it, especially coming up with different fundraising ideas.

You have some great ideas, but what do you feel has been your most successful contribution so far, and why?

Thank you! I think the raffle I organised was definitely a success - it raised £235. I managed to create a tea hamper from tea which was donated by a local Glasgow shop called Tchai Ovna. It was also a great way to raise awareness about, not only No.1, but also befriending in general.

Has there been one moment that particularly sticks out in your memory? 

The knitting event was such a good night, even if my scarf is still non-existant to this day! It was my first time meeting some of the befriendees, and it was great to see who No.1 is benefitting. My Gran also came to the event and is now back to knitting everyday - which is keeping her busy during this lockdown.

What challenges have you faced?

Working with databases is something that I had never really done before; however, I eventually got to grips with it and now I love it!

How has it been, working under the constrictions of Covid?

For the most part it has been fine, although my poor laptop cannot always cope with Zoom. I think it is also strange to have never met any of the team in person, but hopefully this will be possible in the not too distant future. When Covid lifts, I would love to be able to organise some fundraising events in person. I think, as much as the Zoom events are great for Covid, you cannot beat the experience of in person activities.

In what ways do you think/hope this voluntary role will help you in the future?

Over the last year, I have realised that I want to have a career with the NGO or charity sector. The experience I am getting from the fundraising assistant role will be invaluable to any jobs that I apply for and allow me to get my foot in the door.

I have loved my time at No.1 and I am excited to see what I can do within the role in 2021!