We recently celebrated our Annual General Meeting alongside friends of SVC and our wider community.
A huge thanks to all those who attended.
For those who missed it, read on to find out more...
We started off with a huge welcome to all those who could make it on the day, both in-person and digitally. It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces and meet new members of our community.
Our Chair of the Board of Trustees, Sophie, presented SVC's annual report. This highlights various key aspects of the latest academic year, including:
Testimonials from Volunteers and Beneficiaries:
Overview of our projects:
Find out more here: https://www.svcymru.org/projects
Volunteering Statistics:
We also introduced some of our newest partnership projects that are currently underway:
SVC’s International Exchange Project
Taith is Welsh Government funding which supports Wales' new International learning exchange programme. The aim is to create life changing opportunities to travel, volunteer, learn and experience.
International work is a completely new area for us, and has led to many new opportunities and relationships being built. Through a virtual exchange, we have been working closely with the Government Youth Office of La Selva in Catalonia, and planning a summer exchange for our young people to spend time together volunteering, and learning about each other's cultures. This exchange will take place in July, where young people will undertake volunteering opportunities working with young people on summer camps, and also conservation initiatives.
Additionally, we will be undertaking several staff development trips to learn about volunteering practises and youth work in different parts of the world. We have already been fortunate enough to travel to Catalonia to do some strategic planning work, and have other trips lined up with Oslo University, and several charities and educational institutions in Toronto.
Next up, the board reviewed SVC's financial accounts and gave an overview of our current financial position. We were incredibly grateful that our accountant, Andrew Hill, opened up the floor to any questions from our audience.
A huge thank you to Andrew and his team for their work over the past year and for attending our AGM. We have decided to continue working alongside HSJ Accountants for the upcoming year.
We shared an overview of our strategic plans and changes that have taken place over the past year at SVC.
To find out more about what we have been up to, check out the video below:
Volunteer Awards
Our AGM is an important celebration for SVC staff and trustees, but also for the volunteers who take part in our projects and events. We loved being able to share the extraordinary work of those who help SVC throughout the year - our work would not be possible without them!
This year, we had 14 awards to present. These included:
Most Supportive Volunteer - Layla Rose Jones
Layla has been a really supportive volunteer on our Club Night project. Layla has been helpful in supporting and coaching another volunteer, Rich, as he settled into his new role. They make a great team!
Most Helpful Volunteer - Kuban Junior Clare
Kuban has been a brilliant asset to SVC and is an exceptional example of dedication and commitment as a volunteer. Kuban took it upon himself to ensure that his fellow volunteers made it to their project on time and is always willing to dedicate as much time to the project as he can. Kuban's caring personality has shone, he has been a star member of his volunteering group.
Volunteering Pair of the Year - Ellis Whitcombe and Adam Kenshole
Adam and Ellis have been a fantastic example of how successful volunteer buddies on the Boosting Nature project can be. We have loved hearing about how they have both gained skills and confidence, whilst also helping the environment at the same time.
Top Volunteer Partnership - Isabella Barker, Bea Westerman-Loe and Isabelle Stapleton
Issy, Izzy and Bea have shown resilience within their volunteer roles on the NHS project. They came together to ensure that the Rehabilitation Ward would still have weekly sessions - since then, they have shown great communication with the ward and with each other. These three have made a fantastic team and worked together to ensure that the needs of their beneficiaries were met, putting them first - a key quality in SVC volunteers.
Volunteer who has grown the most in confidence - Rich Horrigan
Rich has grown so much since he first started on Club Night. It has been brilliant to see how his confidence has improved over the last year and how he has really taken on his role as a volunteer, coming up with new ideas and getting stuck in.
Rich gave a wonderful speech at the AGM, explaining to our audience about some of the wonderful work that he and others have been involved in. This was a testament to the ever-growing confidence Rich has gained.
Skills Inclusion Volunteer - Katie Richards
Katie always uses her skills and knowledge from her work as a music therapist in our Shiny Happy People sessions. She is great at including everyone in the session, even those who prefer to sit on the side with an instrument. Katie is great to work with and is truly valued by participants at these sessions.
Lead Volunteer Awards
Bea-Westerman-Loe
Cerys Griffiths
Daisy Lee Norton
Emily France
Emily Marshall
Hassan Ahmed
Kelly Fenton
Mair Wilcox
Mia Bromley
Milly Carter
Longest Standing Lead Volunteer - Kelly Fenton
Kelly has led the kids group on our Young Carers Club project for the last 5 years and it's fair to say the project would not be the same without her. She is hugely valued by the young carers and their families, and has worked so hard to support them in this role. Kelly has been brilliant at organising sessions and leading the volunteers, whilst making them feel empowered and valued.
Special Recognition for Reliability and Commitment Awards
Brett Shelley
Brett has helped out since the very beginning of our Coffee Morning project. He is always reliable and committed to attending the sessions, and is always friendly to our attendees. Brett is always prepared for each session, bringing along Bingo equipment and calling out the numbers to everyone. Brett's passion for the project shines!
Hassan Ahmed
Hassan has been so dedicated to volunteering with the NHS and has attended every session. He has taken initiative and ensures he is available to other volunteers should they need anything. Hassan shows 100% commitment to this project and is an incredible example of a model volunteer.
Dua Amin
Dua has been an incredibly helpful volunteer on the Be Friends project over the last two years. She has volunteered in some difficult conditions but has coped with these marvellously, showing real empathy and compassion towards those she is supporting. Dua goes above and beyond, providing invaluable support.
Police Volunteering Team
The following group are all part of our Cardiff and Vale Police Volunteer Project. They have all volunteered over 120 hours each within the last year, and the project simply could not have run without them! They all go above and beyond and we are extremely grateful for their dedication to the project.
Becky Askew
Cristian Dabija
Chris McCue
Andre Walters
Skye Whyntie
Hayley Thomas-Yarr
Josh Ford-Davies
Tia Vrettos
A huge thank you to the Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Councillor Graham Hinchey, for presenting the awards to our marvellous volunteers. We were incredibly lucky to have both the Mayor and Mayoress of Cardiff attend our AGM and join the celebrations.
Shiny Happy People
We were joined by our fabulous friends from Shiny Happy People who led a fun interactive sing-along for the audience. It was a great opportunity to showcase the spectuacular work of Shiny Happy People whilst getting everyone involved in an upbeat song and dance.
Finally, we finished off the meeting with a lovely buffet which was enjoyed by all.
A huge thanks to Cardiff Business School for providing the venue, facilities and equipment needed for the event. It was lovely to celebrate together in a local space that enabled us to welcome both an in-person and digital audience.
Here at SVC, celebrating our achievements and the success of others is integral to our community. We are so grateful for the hard work, commitment and dedication that all members of our community put in throughout the year. It is due to the wonderful volunteers, staff, community and partners, that we are able to help so many beneficiaries across Cardiff and surrounding areas.
To get involved with our projects, click here.
To get in touch, email: info@svcymru.org
