Celebrating Volunteers’ Week 2025: Linda’s story at Impact Arts

Mon 02nd June 2025

Linda at Craft Café in Elderpark Library in February 2025, after she had finished volunteering to join the Impactful Parents team. The members, staff, and other volunteers made her a leaving card and put together a box of handmade items as a gift to thank her.

To mark Volunteers’ Week June 2-8th 2025, we’re sharing stories from the incredible people who volunteer across different creative programmes here at Impact Arts. Make sure you’re following our social media channels to hear more.

What is Volunteers’ Week?

Volunteers’ Week is an annual UK-wide campaign that recognises and celebrates the invaluable contributions of volunteers across the country. So many organisations, particularly charities and nonprofits, simply could not function without the generosity and dedication of volunteers.

Launched in 1984, Volunteers’ Week has been running for over 40 years now and it provides organisations and communities with a platform to thank current and past volunteers.

According to VolunteersWeek.org:

  • 14.2 million people in the UK have formally volunteered at least once a month
  • Volunteering added £4.6 billion in productivity gains to the UK economy in 2024
  • 25 million people in the UK volunteered informally at least once in the year

Today, we’d like to share Linda’s story, a once-volunteer and now-Pastoral Support Worker at Impact Arts.

Volunteers’ Week 2025: Linda’s story at Impact Arts

I had known about Impact Arts for many years, and I researched their project work while I was at art school, studying painting. After some recent changes in my life, I decided to find a volunteering role where I could meet and connect with new people.

Volunteering at Craft Café

Fortunately, I saw an advert for a Volunteer Creative Assistant at the Craft Café in Govan.

I started this volunteer role in October 2023, when the project was based in Elderpark Community Centre. The tutors, Charlotte and Emma, and the other volunteers made me feel very welcome, and I quickly settled into helping the over 60s members of the group with their creative projects…and making many cups of tea!

I worked one afternoon per week for over a year and I really enjoyed getting to know all the lovely members and chatting to them about their lives and artwork.

My favourite part of volunteering with Impact Arts was seeing the difference Craft Café makes to the lives of older people in the local community and being involved in that. They feel less isolated, make new friends, build their self-esteem, and their mental health improves. I found this very rewarding.

I was a carer for my mum and aunt for a long time, and I understand the importance of conversation, kindness, laughter, and caring for someone else’s wellbeing. I realised that my voluntary role was making me happy and improving my wellbeing too. I made new friends and felt part of a new community.

I was also given the opportunity to do some informal drawing workshops in the group and one-to-one sessions to help members with their painting. I learned a lot from the members too – they all have their own amazing talents including painting, knitting, pyrography, creative writing, poetry, crocheting, cardmaking, embroidery, and so much more.

On my second week in the role, I was delighted to accompany them on a trip to The Boardwalk to see and celebrate their ‘Back Court Concerts’ exhibition.

Linda at the start of her volunteering journey with Craft Café members at the ‘Back Court Concerts’ exhibition at The Boardwalk in October 2023.

The highlight of my time as a volunteer was visiting Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum in July last year with the Craft Café members to see their wonderful display in the Community Gallery. It was lovely to see them looking so proud.

From volunteer to support worker

I am very happy that my voluntary role has led to further opportunities within Impact Arts. I was offered paid cover shifts at the Craft Café last year and I then progressed into working as a Pastoral Support Worker with Impactful Parents, a creative employability project in West Dunbartonshire.

For six months now, I have now been a Pastoral Support Worker on another Impactful Parents project in West Lothian. I am responsible for the wellbeing and development of our participants on their journey with us throughout our projects. I research opportunities and help them find a path towards achieving their future goals in employment, education, training, or volunteering. I love my job!

The importance of volunteering

I would highly recommend volunteering work to anyone considering it.

The most important decision is choosing a cause that you care about. This will make the role more meaningful and worthwhile and will ensure that your life and the lives of others are changed for the better.

Thank you to Linda and all our current and past volunteers. The whole team at Impact Arts and our participants are so grateful for your support.

Impact Arts is a community arts charity based in Scotland. Since 1994, we’ve been delivering creative arts and support programmes for children, young people, families, and older people who are facing disadvantages or barriers to progress in life. Our mission is to tackle inequalities, address poverty, and transform lives through the power of art and creativity.  

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