One way in which local volunteer groups make a difference in their communities is through supporting local people and becoming a source of hope, belonging and positive wellbeing.
NPTSG – A Welsh Group Run by Stroke Survivors for Stroke Survivors
One of the wonderful examples of a KAVS 2024 Awardee organisation enabling those with health-related challenges to lead richer lives is based in Wales – the Neath Port Talbot Stroke Group (NPTSG).
NPTSG is, they say themselves, ‘run by young stroke survivors for young at heart stroke survivors’ and is a self-help support and social group for stroke survivors, their loved ones, carers and volunteers. Participants support each other to recover from stroke by rebuilding old interests and creating new ones.
With a maxim of “We believe in ‘Life After Stroke’” and run solely by volunteers with the aim to enrich stroke survivors and their loved one’s lives post stroke, the group was founded in 2014. A decade on, it has grown to support 40-80 members per week.
In autumn 2023 they launched NPT WASP – the Wellbeing After Stroke Project – along with their partners NPT Mind, offering a mental health service with a pathfinder to meet local stroke survivors and their loved ones to support and signpost them to whatever service they need to improve their lives post stroke. The first initiative of its kind in the UK, users can access support, from providing benefit help to home adaptations, to the delivery of therapeutic groups, group counselling or one-to-one talking therapies.
NPTSG organises activities, workshops, educational courses, arts and craft, speakers, fundraising activities, social events, days out, holidays and more. They meet weekly on Wednesday mornings and run a Warm Space Breakfast Club, and they also welcome healthcare professionals or anyone with an interest in stroke recovery to join them.
The group is also keen to share real stories from real people who are continuing their post-stroke recovery journey. A common myth is that recovery from stroke plateaus and stops within a few months of suffering a stroke, a notion which the group challenges, pointing to how recovery continues for as long as survivors work at it and live with it – something that NPTSG members know well from personal experience.
Ashes to Gold
On the scenic north coast of Northern Ireland, based in the bustling town of Coleraine, the Ashes to Gold organisation has received the accolade of a 2024 KAVS for its volunteer-led work in increasing the confidence, motivation and self-belief of people in the Causeway Coast and Glens area. The group, founded in 2013, focuses on supporting people who have special or additional needs, mental health issues, are long-term unemployed or are undertaking community service. Support is provided through teaching them new skills but also by providing counselling and empowering clients with the ability to make a difference in their lives.
There are a number of specific initiatives. ‘Oasis’ provides support to people who are living with, or recovering from mental health issues. Support comes through a drop-in service, where anyone who feels isolated or lacking in confidence can go and meet friendly staff for a chat and a cuppa. Ashes to Gold can provide help through counselling along with one-to-one support by providing plans to help people achieve their goals and move on from being dependent to being able to live independently.
Alongside ‘Oasis’, other initiatives such as the ‘Restore’ workshop provides training and activities for people who have mental or physical disabilities, or who are long-term unemployed. Restore’s main aim is to recycle and upcycle furniture while at the same time teaching people new skills such as painting and repairing furniture. This support can help folk to gain skills and confidence which can provide a stepping stone to employment.
The organisation’s Bakery was formed as a social enterprise in 2016. The bakery supports people with mental and physical disabilities through catering. A variety of courses run from teaching people how to cook delicious and healthy meals on a budget, to helping people understand that a healthy diet can be beneficial to their mental health.
The 2024 King’s Awards for Voluntary Service were announced on 14th November – HM King Charles III’s birthday – in The Gazette and Gov.uk. For more information on this year’s winners in The Gazette, see here, and in previous years, see here.