Find out why some of our volunteers support Awen

This Volunteers' Week, we are recognising and celebrating the incredible contribution volunteers make to Awen and our communities every day. Here are some of the honest and heartfelt reasons why they choose to volunteer with us.

In October 2025, I saw that Awen, and in particular, Maesteg Town Hall, were looking for volunteers. My entire life has been spent serving the public. From 1978 to 2001 I was a Police Officer in the Metropolitan Police in London. I gained a huge amount of experience dealing with people. I thrived on the everyday challenges, and having to make quick, sometimes very difficult and challenging decisions. Now I run my own successful Driving School and operate within the Maesteg area.

I absolutely love working with people. I was very fortunate to be welcomed into the Awen volunteers' group and do as much as I can to enhance the experience that people using the Town Hall get when attending the various shows and other events that are put on by Awen. I love what I do and hopefully, health permitting, will continue to assist and serve the local community. All the time trying, in my own way, to make them smile and relax whilst they use the wonderful Town Hall facilities.

I volunteer at Maesteg Town Hall as I want to give back to our wonderful community of Maesteg. The Town Hall holds a special place in my heart as myself and my family have spent so much of our time there over the years. From my parents attending the dances back in the 1940s, attending the teenage discos with all my school friends and appearing in the yearly pantomimes with St Cynfelin's Church choir, with the vicar playing the Dame. Then also appearing on stage in many different shows with Maesteg Amateur Operatic Society. Both my sons appeared in some of those shows with me as well. The Town Hall has been a staple in mine and my family’s life ALWAYS. 

I have been volunteering with Awen since the newly refurbished Town Hall opened in November 2024. I feel a sense of belonging and have met and made fantastic friends with my co-volunteers. I have attended lots of sessions of fire safety and evacuation training to keep our customers safe and also completed a Dementia Friends course, which was very interesting and informative. I have also attended two of Awen's Inspire days which are so friendly, and everyone makes you feel so welcome. I love seeing the smiles on the customers faces when they leave a performance. Long may it continue. 

I volunteer at Maesteg Town Hall because I served on Awen’s Board of Trustees for eight years and have followed its progress from conception through to build and opening last year. Being a volunteer has given me the chance to give something back into the community whilst helping visitors to enjoy and appreciate the asset we have at the heart of our community. It a real joy and pleasure to meet and greet people and to see them enjoying all the facilities that we have to offer. Since volunteering, I have come to appreciate more the diversity that our community has.  

I also believe that I have picked up customer facing skills and am confident of my ability to handle any given situation. Also, teamwork is an essential part of the role, and I have developed an excellent relationship with all if my fellow team members.  

Volunteering for me wasn’t just about supporting Y Muni, it was about some selfish reasons. Having been living a very stressful life, caring for a very ill husband and working full time both came to an abrupt end left me feeling useless, lonely and lost without purpose. I had a history with the Y Muni (I met my husband there) so when I saw they were seeking volunteers, it just seemed right. 

 Since volunteering with Awen I have developed a sense of purpose, feeling useful and found my professional voice again through working as part of a larger team and using interpersonal skills as when greeting people you use different forms of communication. I have used new skills such as using the ticket scanner. I love working with new volunteers and helping them getting to grips with how we schedule our checks.

Outside of volunteering I use the knowledge to talk to others about what we do as volunteers and getting them engaged. I enjoy promoting the various events via social media. Working as a volunteer has given me the confidence to face any new challenges life throws at me.