Today marks the start of Volunteers’ Week, an annual celebration of the amazing contributions volunteers make to communities across the UK.

Our lived experience volunteers are at the very heart of all we do at Betknowmore UK, and we think it’s important to shout every week about the vital work they do, helping the charity in its efforts to reduce gambling harms, increase awareness and prevention.

This year is the 40^th Volunteers’ Week and we wanted to do something special for all our volunteers, and staff who volunteer across other charities and organisations. Throughout the week we will highlight the incredible contributions they make and say thank you. We appreciate you, and all the hard work that you do.

My own journey of volunteering within Betknowmore UK started in August 2020, when I joined Peer Aid as a service user. Getting the vital help and support from this service helped me build a solid foundation of recovery capital. The meetings instilled me with hope, empowerment, a can-do attitude, and a drive and determination to succeed each day. I was able to set goals and manage my finances, and I felt part of a caring community, something I hadn’t had in a long time.  

After a year of using the service, I qualified as a Peer Supporter, offering one-to-one and group support to individuals. I am just one of a number of people to benefit from the developmental opportunities Betknowmore UK offer. Moving from service user to becoming a Peer Supporter, gaining a qualification, and developing and nurturing new skills in an inclusive and friendly environment truly is life changing.  

Betknowmore UK strengthened its volunteering breadth this year by introducing a Lived Experience Advisory Board, with members volunteering their time to advise on strategic and operational decisions and assist the Board of Trustees to ensure there is consistent lived experience and volunteer input across the charity.  

We are looking to expand our volunteer capacity over then next 12 months and in my role as Activities and Volunteer Coordinator, I will be helping all our volunteers improve their health and wellbeing, achieve their goals, and be part of a community, united in its mission to prevent gambling harms.

We thank all of our volunteers for the hard work they put in each week, from our advisory board members to those who assist with research and focus groups, our Peer Aid and New Beginnings Supporters and beyond. We couldn’t achieve our mission without you!

Embrace this week, and be proud of everything you do.

To find out more about how to become a Peer Supporter, click here.

To find out more about Volunteers' Week, click here.