CHARITIES staff in Craven have been marking ‘Volunteers’ Week’ by celebrating the vital work that all volunteers do - and calling for more people to get involved.

Both Horton Housing’s Craven Community Cafes, which runs weekly events in Skipton and Settle, and the Age UK shop in Swadford Street, Skipton, are asking more people to “come along and make a difference.”

The community cafes are run weekly, at The Meeting House in Settle and St Andrew’s Hall in Skipton, and aim to help vulnerable adults who have mental health issues and are in danger of social isolation.

Sessions and activities help clients to increase their confidence, develop skills and access volunteering and employment opportunities, said community development worker Helen Bannister.

She explained: “I wouldn’t be able to run the cafés without volunteers. They help make the café a welcoming place and understand our clients, who are vulnerable, and many also have a disability. As staff, it’s important to value our volunteers and retain them, making them feel part of the organisation. It’s good to see people challenge themselves and develop.”

Volunteers help set up each café session, make refreshments, wash up and meet and greet the clients and visitors.

One of the Skipton volunteers, Beverley Wright, said that she had originally gone along to the community cafe in Skipton to help boost her confidence after struggling with shyness. She became a volunteer in her second week at the café after showing an interest in helping at the sessions.

She said: “I was so shy when I first came in to the café. I couldn’t mix with people and wanted to go out of the door.

“I look forward to coming to the café every week. I like being in this safe environment, where you feel that you are able to talk openly with others. The café is supporting the local community. Everyone is friendly and it feels like I am part of a family. I feel relaxed and fit in perfectly here. It’s also great to see that I’m helping people in my role and that the place is somewhere clients also enjoy visiting.”

Beverley has also been involved in volunteer-led sessions with other café volunteers, presenting a mental health awareness course to professionals from local authorities and organisations in Craven.

Meanwhile the Skipton’s Age UK shop is one of 400 across Britain on the look out for more help - which can bring great benefits to volunteers themselves, said Skipton shop manager Antonia Cutillo.

She said: “We are so grateful to all our volunteers, who generously give up their time to help out. The shop really is reliant on the support of volunteers and so we are appealing to anyone in the area who may be able to give up some time to help out. Not only will you meet new people and be a key part of the local community, you will also be helping Age UK raise vital funds to support older people.”

For more information the Age UK shop can be contacted on 01756 796150. Horton Housing’s Community Cafés run on Wednesdays, 1.15- 4.15pm in Settle and Thursdays, 1- 4pm, in Skipton.