Volunteers
MSRRF is lucky to have the skills of valuable volunteers: The support and skills they bring to the charity are invaluable and greatly appreciated. MSRRF’s board of trustees would like to thank all volunteers, past and present, for their hard work, commitment and dedication to the charity. Anybody requiring information on volunteering can contact us on 01670 505829. MSRRF’s volunteers selflessly give up their precious time to help our service users and are greatly valued by MSRRF for their invaluable help. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that we couldn’t carry out our work without them.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself Delphine? “I don't really know how to describe myself, it's funny, I was traveling in the car with my dad the other day. He’s 77 and during a conversation he said ‘Those of us in middle-age…’ So I'm thinking if he's middle-aged then I'm still a teenager, which is quite nice." “I live in Ashington, with no children or pets; I try to remain upbeat in my outlook. My artistic background includes managing print shops in Blyth and North Shields and being a manageress of a printing company. I was then diagnosed with MS and moved on to be a supervisor of a snooker club. Before my diagnosis I gained a degree in graphic design and after diagnosis I gained a B.Ed. and became a teacher.” “I became a member of Aurora which is an arts group in Northumberland run by a man named Brian Reed. I advertised some of my artwork on a website and was asked to do some artwork for a corporate body but due to my circumstances it was inconvenient and I declined. I then joined ARCADIA the Northern Disability Arts Foundation formerly known as NorDAF. I'm also a member of the Newbiggin Arts Forum. Can you tell us why or how you became a volunteer with MS Research and Relief Fund? I suppose it's a continuation of the mentor’s work I did with ARCADIA. I went to the General Hospital and saw an awful lot of Ali Rhind’s ‘Proggy Mats’. I then went off to the RVI and Professor Bates said “wouldn't you like to set up a little silkscreen in the corner somewhere?” I thought yeah great. Then when I was having my blood taken by MS Specialist Nurse Jeanette Curlis she said why don't you go up to MS Research and Relief Fund’s centre in Morpeth?' So I telephoned and here I am." Do you feel that the Art and Craft Class is therapeutic for people with MS? “I think it is, I would like to think it is. It gives people a chance to express themselves. It can be about self achievement even if it's only putting a colour on paper. “ I couldn't help commenting myself that it is evident from chatting with people taking part in the Art Class that people seem to get a lot of self belief and self-satisfaction and I believe that feeling better about yourself helps you to cope with your MS better. Do group members have a say in what they may do? “Absolutely, someone might want to do something about birds in watercolors perhaps, another may want to do something in ink and wash. It's purely what people want to do. I might draw the line at pottery though. |
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