Val Enteer

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Ian

After I stopped paid work I found that there were parts of me that were not getting used and I looked around for something.

I had a varied career in engineering, music and teaching but I spent the last 10 years as a nursery teacher attached to a state primary school. I often encountered people who needed someone impartial to help them through complex situations and saw the benefit of that help.

I chose Help Hub and I have volunteered here since 2021, it has been a massively challenging and rewarding thing for me and being part of a team committed to helping anyone struggling to get heard is a privilege I value. I always feel that when I reach the boundaries of my skills or knowledge with a client I have someone to go to. I learn constantly and we work things out together.

For other fun I spend time with my wonderful family and if there’s time I play music, write, dance, walk, grow food in my garden and make things out of wood.

Stewart

I was brought up in Glasgow and lived in Canada, Brighton and London before settling in Scarborough. I taught at Scarborough Sixth Form College for 30 years before retiring a number of years ago. I help to run the Scarborough Maritime Heritage Centre and Scarborough Archaeological and Historical Society, and I devote a lot of time to researching and writing History. I recently published a book on Scarborough during the Second World War.

I return to Glasgow regularly, but I appreciate living in Scarborough, with its rich heritage, seaside walks, proximity to York and access to magnificent countryside. Having grown too decrepit to play football, I now exercise on my mountain bike, completing a number of coast-to-coast cycles in the UK. I think the Cinder Track cycle from Scarborough to Whitby is one of the most spectacular in the country.

One of the great satisfactions of my teaching career was being given the opportunity to help young people to succeed in life. As a teacher I was also an active trade unionist, as I was committed to ensuring that people were treated fairly at work. In retirement I wished to continue to try to make a contribution to my wider community and joined Advocacy Alliance in 2019 as a volunteer. As well as having the privilege of supporting many deserving clients, I feel that I have benefited greatly from volunteering. I have continued to develop my own personal skills and I think I have acquired a better understanding of the challenges we all face in our daily lives. I would not have been able to perform the role of a volunteer if it were not for the dedicated and inspiring team at Advocacy Alliance/Help Hub.

Anna

I have been a volunteer at what is now Help Hub since 2015.

I like being able to help people to manage difficult situations.

I am retired and I enjoy walking my dogs, sailing and playing netball.

Kim

Now retired, I love living by the coast. 

I worked in social services for 30+ years both in care settings and the community with various client groups in different roles.

Equality and ensuring people have a voice and their opinions heard has always been a priority for me so volunteering for Help Hub allows me to put this into practice alongside the team of like minded people.

Away from Help Hub I enjoy more volunteering for various local groups and spending time with family and friends.