On Saturday I volunteered for the LAA.
I went to the Royal London Hospital where I helped out in the LAA shop. Patrick and I helped out with Susan whose Daughter survived a horrific accident with the help of the Air Ambulance. Sue’s daughter is partially blind and had her skull totally rebuilt. Sue volunteers as and when she can. However sometimes another set of helping hands is needed. Patrick was able to do the harder stuff the ladies who usually volunteer can’t do, for example moving heavy boxes in the stock room to reaching high shelves for a clean.
The shop sells a range of goodies from pens, pencils, mugs, t-shirts, keyrings and much more. For example, the LAA are selling this A4 quality diary at £1. It was going for £3 but because they’ve only got another 5 months to the end of the year they need to sell these diaries on pretty quickly before the get thrown out http://tiny.cc/bCj01 which is a waste of course. Patrick sold an amazing 4 mini helicopters which retail for £10 each.
I met a range of people from visitors to the hospital, patients and to people that wanted to come in to support the shop. The shop is run on a volunteer basis and you don’t realise how much they are struggling for helpers as well as money generated from fundraising events. So they really do mean when they say every little helps.
I decided to rattle a tin outside the hospital in order to try and get some more money in. It was really pleasing to put helicopter stickers little children and to try and educate them about the Air Ambulance.
I, like most people can only offer a limited amount of help due my own commitments in my life, however, they really do appreciate this.
As we left for the day the helicopter was setting off again for another call. I felt really humbled to know that my contributions have helped the Air Ambulance make that trip to those that needed it.
Pictures to follow (however they are on my facebook should you want to look at them now)
L
