Busking; trekking; great customer service; governance. Just some of the things undertaken by the remarkable Farquharson family in support of Sense Scotland. This Volunteers’ Week Neil shares their story…

We’ve been involved with Sense Scotland since 1985 when my wife Aileen and our sons attended the first conference. When I arrived to collect them Aileen’s first words to me were: “These are people who really understand us.”

I’ve been volunteering as a Trustee since 1990 and am now the longest-serving on the current Board. In that time I have had a spell as vice-chairman and, briefly, as treasurer. The Board oversee the work of the management and help plan for the future. Over the years I’ve visited various Sense Scotland projects, and that’s enabled me to better understand the work being carried out. And to meet the staff who do such a great job caring for the people we support.

Two of those people supported are my sons – Ewen and Murray. Both are deafblind and live in their own flats with support from Sense Scotland. Both of them also love volunteering and raising money for Sense Scotland. I think they would have volunteered anyway, but I’ll take the credit as being a shining example for them!

Ewen has been a volunteer in the St Andrew’s shop for more than 15 years, so he is almost in with the furniture. He serves customers and helps with the stock. Together with Murray he’s also raised money by busking in a local supermarket. They’re both accomplished accordion players and Murray has entertained on various occasions, including the opening of TouchBase Glasgow in front of the Princess Royal.

My wife, Aileen, who worked in a Sense Scotland project in Dundee for a time, has also been involved in fundraising. She took part in not one, but two treks in Nepal with other Sense Scotland workers in 1998 and 1999. Anything to get away from me…

All this illustrates that people volunteer for a number of reasons – to escape the norm, to make new friends, to build work experiences and to have a purpose. At Sense Scotland we certainly couldn’t do without them and this Volunteers’ Week is about saying “Thank You”.

Volunteers fundraise, work in shops, help our Early Years teams and bring their talents to arts and music programmes. Many volunteers speak of the joy they get from helping the people who are supported by Sense Scotland, and we as a family take pride in what the organisation has achieved over the years. 

I’m sure there are many families across Scotland who share that pride in what we see as “our” charity. There has always been a bond between staff, families and volunteers in Sense Scotland and I hope this will continue in the generations to come.

There is a uniqueness about Sense Scotland, and a uniqueness about every single person who volunteers there. Thank you.

If you want to find out more about volunteering for Sense Scotland email: volunteering@sensescotland.org.uk or call: 0300 330 9292.