What it’s like being a Volunteer at Clan
Volunteers are essential in helping Clan to provide a wide range of services, free of charge, to anyone affected by cancer. No matter what time you can give or what skills you can bring, Clan can offer you a special and rewarding volunteering experience.
We heard from one of our fantastic volunteers here at Clan and found out a bit about why he chose to make a difference in the lives of people affected by cancer.
Meet Roy Burnett!
Roy is now retired after a long career in the oil & gas industry and has just had his first book published. He enjoyed the writing experience so much that he is now working on his second novel as well as his autobiography.
Why did you decide to become a volunteer for Clan?
I decided to become a Clan volunteer after seeing how much Clan helped my daughter when she recently went through breast cancer. Not only were they a great help to my daughter, but also to my grandson and granddaughter who went through the trauma of seeing their mum go through chemotherapy at home during lockdown.
What are the benefits of volunteering?
I wanted to give a little back and help others going through similar treatment, and the stress and hardship that goes along with the cancer which is very fulfilling. Volunteering doesn’t take up a lot of your time but it’s very worthwhile meeting and hearing other people’s stories.
How are you involved in Clan Volunteering?
I and four others went through extensive online training while the centre was closed and finally started driving patients to and from ARI in July. Our job as drivers plays a key role in helping clients get to their appointments on time, in a calm and relaxed manner which is very rewarding.
What other ways have you volunteered for Clan?
The other project I have been involved in is Clan's "Light the North" Lighthouse Trail which involved lots of work preparing the lighthouses for display and then putting them on location. This is a vital project to raise much needed funds and awareness and has given me huge personal satisfaction to be involved in such a worthy cause.
In my role as president of Aberdeen Philatelic Society, we decided to support the lighthouse project and managed to put together 3 stamp and postal history displays featuring lighthouses and their history. The Lighthouse Museum at Fraserburgh, The Garioch Heritage Centre at Inverurie and the Aberdeen Science Centre were kind enough to allow us to put these on show.
Like Roy, you have the Power to Help by volunteering at Clan! From our support volunteers, who offer clients a range of practical and wellbeing support, to event volunteers that help to build awareness of Clan as well as raising essential funds, there’s an opportunity for everyone to help support those affected by a cancer diagnosis.
We have a range of volunteer roles available in locations in Aberdeen City, throughout Aberdeenshire, Moray, Orkney and Shetland.
If you would like to volunteer with Clan we'd love to hear from you. Please contact our Volunteer Coordinator on 01224 647000 or email enquiries@clancancersupport.org.
