‘I’m so proud to be Group Coordinator of the Sutton Group’
I was diagnosed with MS in March of 2011. I was only 29. In about June the same year, I rang up the MS Society and found out about the Sutton Group. The next day, they were on my doorstep.
Meeting group members gave me hope
They changed my perception of MS. I thought, ‘oh my God, my life’s over. I’m done. What am I going to do?’ But meeting group members gave me hope. They made me feel so comfortable. It suddenly felt like everything would be OK. I could exhale. They encouraged me to come along to meetings, and then I started helping out with collections. That’s how I started volunteering.
I’ve held literally every group volunteer role over the last 14 years. And I’ve helped with putting on events. I did a big music night for the MS Society’s 60th anniversary. Last year, I did a parachute jump fundraiser.
In 2020, the then Group Coordinator – one of those who turned up on my front door – gave me the Shining Star award at the group Christmas party. The next day, he rang me up and said, ‘Can you take over the branch?’
He took me under his wing, and he was such a role model for me. It was such an honour that he wanted me to take over the group. Never in a million years did I expect to be asked to lead. I just hope I’m doing him proud.
The reward I get out of helping people is amazing
For me, getting MS was such a life changing experience, but for the better, because it changed the person I was. Getting MS made me who I am. If you’d said to me 20 years ago, ‘you’ll be volunteering for a charity’, I wouldn’t’ve believed it.
I was an account manager, and I was earning really well. I lost all that when I got MS. But I’d happily give it up again to have everything I’ve gained with my group and through volunteering. I feel richer now than I ever did then. The reward I get out of helping people is amazing. It’s such a wonderful feeling. Now I understand why those group members came round to see me when I first got in touch. People need this support.
Giving people that little bit of hope means so much more to me than driving a flashy car or having a big house ever could.
If you’re feeling down, the team picks you up
Day to day, I’m doing all sorts. I’ll help members fill out their PIP forms. If they’ve got Universal Credit or job centre appointments, I’ll help them prepare. If I can, I’ll be there for the call. I try to take as much pressure off them as possible.
We do socials, like Christmas parties, where we have a three-course meal and a big raffle. We do collections at London train stations. We’ve done Wheel and Walk events. And when people jump out of planes to fundraise, we go to support them.
It’s really important to find systems that work for you and create environments where everyone can be themselves. All the members know me – know that I’m absolutely barmy! But that I’m serious when I need to be.
There are challenges. It can be really difficult when I’m unable to resolve something for someone. I like to see things through, and it’s hard to have to pass them on to someone else when I just don’t have the answers. Or if I’m ill and I have to rearrange something, I feel like I’m letting someone down. That’s the hardest part. But the good outweighs the bad.
One of the best parts is being part of the team. If you’re feeling down, the team picks you up. I’m so proud to be Group Coordinator of the Sutton Group.
Volunteering will change your mindset
Volunteering will change your mindset. I’d encourage anyone to do it – but do it for the right reasons. You have to want to do it. You need to have empathy, compassion and understanding. And people will blow you away. You’ll meet people that’ll make you think, ‘How do you do it?’
