Its National Volunteer week next week and we thought we should celebrate our wonderful long standing volunteers Penny and Ralph.
Penny Tatt
Penny Tatt has been volunteering for our Horticulture group for nearly 10 years. I spoke to Penny and Mike Cook, the Horticulture Tutor about the importance of volunteers like Penny to Petty Pool.
Penny: ‘I was a biochemist originally and then trained as a speech and language therapist; which is how I got to know about Petty Pool College (back when it was called the Mid Cheshire Sheltered Workshop and was located in Northwich Town Centre).
When I retired, I was looking for something to volunteer for, and I asked trustee Peter Hickson who was in the Vale Royal Lions with me. I then talked to the then CEO at Petty Pool Peter Evans, who asked if I would like to help in the Horticulture department.
My favourite part of being a volunteer is meeting the students and helping them in any way I can and I love all aspects of the job.’
Mike: ‘Penny is an invaluable asset to helping the students and us the staff. She brings her own experience and skills to the students. She gives up her time to help the students; and being a keen gardener, she can offer more advanced activities for the students to help them stretch and challenge their abilities.’
Ralph Little
Ralph Little has been volunteering to look after our farm animals when we are not at college for nearly 20 years. I spoke to Animal Care tutor Becca Gasside about the importance of volunteers like Ralph at Petty Pool.
Ralph: ‘I enjoy being usefully employed and I feel respected for what I do.’
Becca: ‘Ralph has been helping us with our animals for years. We’d be lost without him, giving up his weekends and even his Christmas day to feed and look after the animals on the farm! What would we do without him!’
What would we do without any of our volunteers? Thank you so much for all you do, from everyone at Petty Pool.