Lizzie – My volunteering story.
The lovely Lizzie shares her experiences of volunteering for Touch
Tell us a little bit about yourself!
So, my name is Lizzie and I began my Southampton adventure in 2006, when this splendid city captured my heart unexpectedly! My favourite things in life are playing and exploring outdoors with my kids, baking and eating cake, and listening to and telling stories with friends.
How did you first get involved with volunteering for Touch?
After discovering the power and beauty of storytelling in bringing people together, I heard Touch was an organisation which does just that! I came along to an event with a friend and loved it so much I couldn’t wait to come to another. I was totally inspired by Debs’ story of courage and building community by sharing stories and just loved the heart behind Touch!
What sorts of things have you done as a volunteer?
I’ve helped out with My Amazing Story publishing some of the incredible stories which people have had the courage to tell. I’ve popped along to events with friends and I recently hosted an event in Woolston.
What was it like being an event host? What does it take to host an event?
It was definitely out of my comfort zone standing up with a mic in front of people, but during the evening I realised it was a massive privilege to cheer people on who were stepping out to share their stories.
It was really special to stand with them at that moment of vulnerability and celebrate their stories, which were total gifts to all of us who were listening. I went from being a bit nervous about it to really enjoying it!
Lizzie (right) hosts a Touch event at the Bridge Road Tea Rooms
What have you got out of volunteering for Touch?
I love that even though every event is individual, it’s a welcoming and accepting space where people can meet together. I love how we can all connect by sharing our experiences and how we have journeyed the ups and downs of life. There is a real sense of community, encouragement and joy!
Touch is a movement which belongs to our community, and volunteers are the driving force behind what we do.
We are always looking for people to support all of the different aspects of our work, from administration to social media to events setup or hosting. You can volunteer as much or as little time as you like, regularly or as a one-off.
If you’re interested in volunteering with Touch we’d love to hear from you!
