VOLUNTEERS who are “simply the best” were treated to a special thank you tea for all their hard work in supporting the Association of Teesdale Day Clubs.
The party was organised by the association, which runs eight weekly lunch clubs across the dale, to thank the volunteers who have gone the extra mile during the past 17 months.
Afternoon tea with sumptuous home-made cakes and finger sandwiches were served by the day club staff, who volunteered their own time to show their appreciation. Peter McGuiness, vice-chairman of the charity’s trustees, thanked all present during the get-together.
He said: “Having come through some difficult times, the staff and all of the clubs have worked hard to just keep going.
“You have three types of volunteers – good, great and then there’s the Teesdale volunteer, who is simply the best.”
He paid tribute to the efforts made to keep in touch with members when the pandemic struck and for other initiatives only made possible with the help of the many volunteers and staff.
He added: “We started with phoning members. I like to call it phoning a friend, because it is like that, friends phoning friends.”
“We then delivered the newsletter which has been hugely popular. We organised Christmas hampers and have served hundreds of meals to members at home through the meals at home service.
“Now we move on to the day job, that really keeps us going – our weekly get-togethers where we can talk about the important things like gardens, our dogs and family and not pandemics and Brexit.
“It is because of our lovely volunteers we are able to organise and plan these things and to all the volunteers and staff, it’s a great big thank you.”
He said with the weekly lunches resuming at the eight clubs across the dale new volunteers were always welcome.
Andrea Hobbs, strategic manager for the association, added spaces for new members were available should any wish to attend.
