We sat down with Natalie, one of our incredible colleague volunteers, to hear what inspires her to give her time and learn more about her recent experience helping with a special Make-A-Wish UK event.

Make-A-Wish UK grants life-changing wishes to children with critical illnesses, bringing them joy and a much-needed escape from the challenges of their conditions. These wishes, which can be anything from meeting a hero to having a bedroom makeover, provide hope and magical memories for the children and their families.

This summer, Natalie and a small team of volunteers helped a five-year-old in Birmingham have a very special birthday party. We spoke with Natalie to hear what the experience was like and her overall thoughts on volunteering her time.

Firstly, please can you tell us why you signed up to become an Action Team volunteer?

Natalie: “I signed up because I really enjoy volunteering. I did the crazy bike ride a few years ago for Make-A-Wish (CitySprint’s Tour of Britain), but being there in person and seeing the difference it makes just helps put life into perspective a bit - and it feels good!”

How did you feel beforehand? And after?

Natalie: “I was a bit nervous to begin with. It wasn’t a big event, and there were no other colleagues from CitySprint there, but I felt at home as soon as I arrived and met the other volunteers. Afterwards, I felt very grateful to have very healthy and happy children, and honoured to be able to share such a special occasion for such a lovely little boy and his family.”

What was involved, and what was the experience like?

Natalie: “When I arrived, I was asked to help set up the decorations, move tables and chairs, etc, and tidy up between courses. After the event, I was invited to sit and eat with the family, which was very kind, and the food was amazing! I also got to meet his wonderful care team. It was a really humbling and eye-opening experience, seeing how poorly the birthday child was really felt heart-breaking, but seeing the joy and love that surrounded him by both his family and his nursing team was amazing. It definitely wasn’t a sombre experience and everyone involved made sure he had the very best day!”

How has it made you feel about volunteering going forward?

Natalie: “I am now registered with Make-A-Wish and have completed all their required training, so I’m now able to self-register for any events or action team planning I feel like doing going forward. My husband has also now registered, and we plan to try and be involved at least once every few months in our own time.

As part of the registration process, there are various training modules you can do. Once that’s completed, you can then sign up to be a part of a local action team group via the website. That can be anything from making calls to local companies for donations to being a drop-off point or even collecting birthday cakes for parties. There is no pressure to do anything at all; you can pick and choose what you do and when to suit your own schedule.”

A massive well done to Natalie for donating her time, and an equally big thank you for sharing her story with us!

Our partnership with Make-A-Wish UK allows us to support their mission and help make these incredible experiences happen. By coming together, we can play a part in creating moments of wonder and happiness that truly make a difference in a child's life.

If you can afford to donate, please do so using this link: https://www.make-a-wish.org.uk/. 

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