Ever wondered what it is like to volunteer at Happy Landings? Roger Willis explains what prompted him to become one of our fundraising volunteers and why he values feeling part of our team.
Meet Roger
He has been volunteering for charities for more than 30 years and tells us why he loves the flexibility of fundraising for Happy Landings.
“I have been a Fundraising Volunteer for over 30 years for all types of charities and have always found that a lot of charities are very regimented, and rules and regulations take priority over everything.
“An example of this is: at the last animal charity I volunteered for, unless you could guarantee a certain amount of money you could collect, they were not keen on you doing it. I used to collect at the local Farmers Market but that was frowned upon as it did not bring in enough. I think if you are going to give up your own time and effort, nothing collected is not enough.
“We found Happy Landings online after being very restricted in the past and decided to look for a new charity. Happy Landings are very professional and have very friendly management and staff. Whatever you want to do and when you want to do it is always acceptable to them. You feel appreciated and supported in every way. I always say every little helps.”
Volunteering takes many forms. You can help by giving up an hour or two at an event or supermarket or even volunteer from home.
What is your role at Happy Landings?
“I am chair of Fundraising of a group of 5 fundraisers living in the Bradford-on-Avon and Trowbridge area; we do cover all of Wiltshire & Somerset.
“We do like to fundraise near to home (as we know the areas) but we have been known to travel 40 miles for an event. We normally do bucket collections in Supermarkets, Pet Stores etc., and also have a stall at community events. This is not excessively time consuming as we work on a rota system. You can give as much or as little time as you wish.
“On our stalls we sell items donated by Happy Landings and also the general public. We always attend community events which are free. There is no point in making money just to pay it out again in costs. All our volunteers give up their time for free and pay all their own expenses.”
“Rescue Shelters are vital in this day and age. There are so many animals mistreated & neglected because their owners are not able to look after them because of age of owners and finances. Things are not going to improve but are made easier by charities like Happy Landings.”
What do you like about volunteering for Happy Landings?
“The most enjoyable thing about volunteering for Happy Landings is that you have the freedom to arrange your own events and collections and know you are being appreciated.”
What would you say to aspiring volunteers?
“Being a volunteer is very rewarding in the knowledge that you are doing something good for the welfare of animals. All it costs you is time and a little bit of imagination.”
Written by: Lauren Bilton