We are incredibly grateful to Helen for her amazing work as Branch Director over the past three years. We asked her a few questions about her time leading the branch.
What have you enjoyed most about being branch director?
I’m not sure enjoy is the right word to use! Maybe it would be easier to talk about how proud I am of what we’ve achieved as a branch…..
I have found the role of branch director to be both challenging and immensely rewarding. As someone who had never before held a position of such responsibility, especially involving people-management skills, I have often felt very much out of my comfort zone. And all the volunteers know how often I have delegated a public facing, speaking role to Clive or one my other fantastic deputies 😂😂
I do feel so proud of what we have achieved as a team over the last three years. The branch interior has been completely transformed into a clean, un-cluttered space which creates such a calm and peaceful environment for our volunteers to carry out their duties. We have a fantastic training space in the Frances Twyford room, both for internal and external use. We are a branch that continues to support our callers through every channel available and contribute such a high number of volunteer hours each and every month. We are also one of a relatively small group of branches that spends at least 10% of their hours supporting callers between 2am and 6am. This represents a substantial increase in the night cover we offer from Cheltenham branch. Our outreach activities are regular, targeted and structured. It feels like every organisation we support outside of the branch gets a really good, well delivered service from Cheltenham volunteers.
What have been some of the challenges of steering the branch through the past three years, including the pandemic?
Well, to state the obvious…… there was Covid! As the government issued their (frequently contradictory and confusing) guidelines, we lost around a third of our volunteers who were told to shield either themselves or close family members. It was a time of frequent Branch Leadership Team meetings as the Trustees and deputies made decisions about how best to keep our remaining volunteers safe. We closed two shifts in the whole of the ten weeks following lockdown which was remarkable. I was told that the branch smelled like a swimming pool, we were using so much bleach!
Then, of course, there were the safeguarding and subsequent quality changes which were introduced back in 2021, including the setting up of the new caller care, quality and email hubs. The necessary changes were implemented here with a great deal of positivity. Other challenges? Does keeping my office tidy count? It was all ok while Clive was sharing it as “Treasurer space”…… he nagged me, but Toni didn’t get that memo, and it all went downhill!
What advice would you give to your successor?
I would say that we continue to have a culture of openness and transparency within the branch, which I think stems from good communication between the leadership team and volunteers. I think it is important to keep that good communication going. Apart from that observation - I don’t think Andy needs advice from me, he is more than capable of being a fantastic director, and he will always have my full support.
Do you have any message to the volunteers as you step down as director?
I would just like to say what an honour and privilege it has been to be your branch director for the last three years. I have always felt supported by the volunteers here and you have been nicer about me and kinder to me than I probably deserve.
I have always tried to convey how important all of you are to me, and that you are valued and listened to. It has been wonderful to read the emails you have sent me and the messages on my leaving card …… it feels like I might have got that right!
What are you planning to do with your extra time now?
Well I would love to reappear in the branch in three months time lots thinner and with a suntan! I suspect the later is going to be easier to achieve, but I live in hope!
I’ve been back to the gym already and I have holidays planned to Rhodes and Turkey. I will also be stewarding with the Friends of Cheltenham Samaritans at Glastonbury in June (fingers crossed the Glastonbury rain doesn’t wash off the tan) and I will still be involved in the arrangements for our 60th anniversary celebrations in October, so I am sure the three months will fly by.
Longer term, I will be taking on a regional role and will be part of the quality hub, so no doubt I will still find myself being quite busy.