Charities praise latest Darlington Volunteering Fair

Thirty five community groups and charities took part in the latest Volunteering Fair at the Dolphin Centre, in Darlington.

Seth Pearson, Director of Darlington Cares, which organizes the event, said: “Despite poor weather, it’s a great turnout that really showcases volunteering opportunities in the Darlington area. It’s a fantastic way for voluntary organisations to network and to recruit new volunteers.”

Julia Bean, trustee of Darlington Town Mission, which tackles isolation among elderly people, described the Volunteering Fair as “invaluable”.

“We recruited new volunteers last year and one of them was a retired accountant who went on to become our treasurer,” said Julia.

“It’s a very relaxed atmosphere with great footfall, so it’s a great opportunity to connect with people who want to do some volunteering but aren’t sure what type of charity they want to be part of. The Volunteering Fair gives a real flavour of what’s on offer.”

Rachel Parry, of Darlington Oxfam, cited the example of a man who came forward as a volunteer at last year’s event and has gone on to train as a PAT (Portable Appliance Testing) specialist.

He has now helped generate thousands of pounds in revenue by PAT testing a stockpile of electrical items donated to the charity.

“It’s a great example of the value of the event,” said Rachel.

Darlington Lions President, Denis Pinnegar, added: “The real value for us is being able to network with other local charities and learn from each other.”