Meet our volunteers
Paul Waters - Norwich
How did you hear about Make-A-Wish?
I first heard of Make-A-Wish when I was participating in a car rally across the US and one of the guys on the rally was the highest bidder in a Make-A-Wish charity auction in the UK and had won the ‘Rally Across The US’ experience.
What was it that made you want to volunteer for Make-A-Wish?
I used go to a few charity auctions and fundraising events throughout the year, giving to various children’s charities. However, since the credit crunch I was unable to give the same level of contributions as I used to, so decided that I would give my time as well.
What’s the best thing about volunteering for Make-A-Wish?
Knowing that I am helping the children and their families at what’s probably the worst and most upsetting time in their lives has given me further purpose to my own life.
What would you do with your time if you weren’t volunteering?
If I wasn’t volunteering, then I really don’t know what I could replace it with to give me the same satisfaction as I get at the moment.
What’s the hardest thing about volunteering?
The hardest thing is the fact that it’s real, real people with real stories and although you can help them at a time of need, you can never do enough to make things right.
What have you enjoyed doing the most during your time as a volunteer for Make-A-Wish?
In a very selfish way, the thing that I enjoy the most is the way that volunteering makes me feel about myself. When I see the Make-A-Wish logo or tell people that I am a ‘wish visitor’ for Make-A-Wish then it makes me feel proud of myself and of what I am doing.
What would be your own wish?
I wish that my son Jaylan and I could be chauffeur driven to the airport and fly First Class to LA, where we would meet Adam Sandler on set in Hollywood and he would take one look at my son and offer him a talking part in his movie, and that would be Jaylan’s big break...not that I have already thought of it!
Gursharan Purewal - Wolverhampton
How did you hear about Make-A-Wish?
I think I remember seeing a feature for the charity on a TV programme a few years ago.
What was it that made you want to volunteer for Make-A-Wish?
Seeing how much happiness granting a wish brought to such brave children was something I really wanted to be a part of.
What’s the best thing about volunteering for Make-A-Wish?
Being part of something so magical that helps make wishes come true for such amazing children has been the most humbling and rewarding thing I've ever experienced – it's almost like being a fairy godmother for the day; it's great!
What would you do with your time if you weren’t volunteering?
I would probably look into volunteering with another charity.
What’s the hardest thing about volunteering?
Not being able to commit as much time to wish visits and other events as I would like to.
What’s your favourite wish that you have heard of/been involved with?
I was assisting with a bedroom makeover wish, it was the first time I had directly been involved with one and seeing the reactions first-hand of how happy the wish child and her family were with the end result reminded me why I wanted to volunteer with Make-A-Wish in the first place.
What have you enjoyed doing the most during your time as a volunteer for Make-A-Wish?
Being part of the charity's 25th Anniversary World Record attempt for the biggest Pass the Parcel – it was great to see how much hard work had gone into making this a success and seeing the reactions of the children who had their wishes granted was great!
What would be your own wish?
To visit the remains of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Jenny Nicholson – North Shields
How did you hear about Make-A-Wish?
I had heard of Make-A-Wish, but didn’t know much about it. I saw the wishgranting role on the Do It website and applied from there.
What was it that made you want to volunteer with Make-A-Wish?
I’d just returned from travelling in the Far East and seen a lot of poverty and visited a few orphanages whilst there. This put things in perspective for me, so I decided when I got back I’d look into volunteering, but had no idea which charity, until I read about Make-A-Wish. I think the values of the charity are really great and reinforce the importance of family at difficult times.
What’s the best thing about volunteering with Make-A-Wish?
There is a huge personal element to wish visits, as you get to meet the lovely families and feel a real part of the process.
What’s the hardest thing about volunteering?
Not being able to help with everything!
What would you do with your time if you weren’t volunteering?
Probably watch more TV!
What do you do as a day job?
I am an Events Manager.
What’s your favourite wish that you have heard of/been involved with?
I loved attending a princess wish at Lumley Castle. It was a really special day and the little girl had a smile from ear to ear all day!
What would be your own wish?
It would probably have to involve meeting Take That – or I’d just be happy with Robbie and Gary!
Ian Lathey - Slough
How did you hear about Make-A-Wish?
I'd heard of Make-A-Wish before, but really found out about them when my company (City Link) chose them to be our sponsored charity for the year in 2009.
What was it that made you want to volunteer with Make-A-Wish?
I've always liked raising money for charities but never had a 'favourite' until I got more involved with Make-A-Wish and understood what it does. I was lucky enough to visit the Make-A-Wish office before a sponsored bike ride in 2009 and meet some of the people. On the wall by the wishgranters was a notice board like you'd find in any office. Except on this board it listed the names of the children that the team were arranging wishes for, their ages and the illness they were being treated for etc. It was seeing this that made me think that however tough our days at work are, there are some people (kids) that are really suffering and deserve some happiness. It was that which made me think I had to get more involved than just raising money through various events.
What’s the best thing about volunteering with Make-A-Wish?
There are lots of good things and as a relatively new volunteer I'm looking forward to finding out more. The best thing for me is getting to meet the children and their families, which is a real privilege and a very humbling experience.
Do you do any other volunteering?
No, I prefer to devote my time to Make-A-Wish.
What would you do with your time if you weren’t volunteering?
Relax with the family more or do more cycling, I suspect!
What do you do as a day job?
I manage a Shared Service Centre for City Link, one of the UK's premium parcel delivery firms.
What’s the hardest thing about volunteering?
Finding the time to always be available is difficult and it's very disappointing when due to other commitments I have to decline events or wish visits.
What’s your favourite wish that you have heard of/been involved with?
The first wish I was involved with was a young lad who just wanted to meet some Superheroes. It's the simple, basic wishes that mean so much to the kids involved which I like, not necessarily the lavish trips to Disney World or similar.
What would be your own wish?
When I visited the Make-A-Wish office for the first time, one of the wishes was a young girl who wanted to meet Billie Piper. ”So do I,” I thought!
Phillip Bayne - Edinburgh
How did you hear about Make-A-Wish?
I was watching a TV programme about Duncan Bannatyne, who is one of my idols. He was at a Make-A-Wish Ball where he gave away around £20,000 for a prize. At that point I decided to find out a bit more about Make-A-Wish and when I looked at the website I knew it was time to start helping and giving.
What’s the best thing about volunteering for Make-A-Wish?
The best thing about volunteering is either working with all the people involved or meeting the wish children. Everyone I have met has such a great energy and willingness to help. I enjoy just sitting and listening to a child’s imagination run away with them when they are talking about their wish. I am torn just to give you ONE best thing about volunteering.
What would you do with your time if you weren’t volunteering?
If I wasn’t volunteering then I would probably be playing more football or golf..ha ha…….no, I think if I wasn’t volunteering for MAW then I would look at other charities and give my time to them. I think once you have taken the step in your own life to help someone else there is no turning back.
What’s the hardest thing about volunteering?
I think the hardest thing that I found about volunteering was just the first hurdle and actually going to do something which was completely out my comfort zone and not knowing what to do. As I don’t have children I found it a little difficult to relate to them myself; however, having some really fantastic volunteers who are just brilliant with the children made it so much easier and I would just like to thank them.
What’s your favourite wish that you have heard of/been involved with?
When I first started in November 2008 Amanda Hillhouse told me about a little boy from Glasgow who wanted to be a soldier for the day. He received a visit from a real tank and was presented with his very own uniform. I could just picture this in my head and thought wow…that’s what this is all about, making someone’s wishes come true!
What have you enjoyed doing the most during your time as a volunteer for Make-A-Wish?
What I enjoy most is just being part of a team that makes all this happen. It is such a good feeling knowing that you are part of a team of people that do such wonderful things for children (and families) who have had and are having such a tough time.
What would be your own wish?
If I could have any wish:-
No.1 – to play in a football game with Diego Maradona, David Beckham, Wayne Rooney or Lionel Messi…..any of those would do!
No.2 – to fly into space in a rocket for NASA.
No.3 – to go round the track in a two-seater Formula One car with Lewis Hamilton driving
No.4 – to fly in a fighter jet
Aoife Pettit - Camberley
How did you hear about Make-A-Wish?
I heard about Make-A-Wish through searching for volunteering opportunities on the internet whilst at University. I typed 'volunteering in Bournemouth' into the search engine and a whole list of opportunities was available for various charities, including Make-A-Wish. As soon as I went on the Make-A-Wish website, I was sure this was what I wanted to spend my spare time doing. I had heard of Make-A-Wish before this, but I was never too sure what it was about and I wanted to find out more. At the time, a Make-A-Wish employee was trying to set up a team in the South West, and I became part of that team.
What was it that made you want to volunteer with Make-A-Wish?
When I saw this opportunity amongst the other prospective volunteering roles, there was something special about Make-A-Wish. Similarly to the Make-A-Wish tagline, it seemed 'magical' to be able to grant wishes to children and young people fighting life-threatening illnesses. I wanted to get on board right away and to try and make a difference wherever I could. Make-A-Wish provides hope and happiness for families going through such difficult and testing times, where the light at the end of the tunnel is disappearing. I feel that Make-A-Wish tries to start shining that light again – even for that one day in which the child's wish has is being granted. It gives the young person and their family a chance to get away from the illness and to thoroughly enjoy a magical day together.
On a more practical note, Make-A-Wish treats its volunteers really well, with continuous training, as well as respecting busy time-schedules. Sending out requests for volunteers via email doesn't put pressure on people, but works with what the volunteers can do rather than what they can't. Plus, there are lots of various opportunities to get involved with, from granting wishes to helping with fundraising.
Do you do any other volunteering?
Yes, I am a counsellor with ChildLine, a charity run by the NSPCC which allows children and young people to talk about anything difficult that is going on in their lives.
What do you do as a day job?
I am a student at University studying Psychology. At the moment, I am on a year out working as an Assistant Psychologist diagnosing dementia in people with learning disabilities, but I will be going back to University in September to finish my last year of my degree.
What’s the hardest thing about volunteering?
Balancing it with the rest of my daily roles and priorities. Although volunteering is a big part of me and my life, I am also a student, an Assistant Psychologist and I have a part-time job to earn money – and of course I need to fit in seeing friends and family. Although it is very possible to fit volunteering into this, as Make-A-Wish is really flexible and realistic about what its volunteers can and cannot do, I feel that I would prefer more time to focus on my role as a volunteer. Hopefully, in the future I will have more time to dedicate to Make-A-Wish.
What’s your favourite wish that you have heard of/been involved with?
A young girl who had repeatedly been diagnosed with various illnesses since a young age, who was unable to go to school and had to be at home all day, had asked to go to Florida and meet her favourite Disney character and to go swimming with dolphins. The difference in her from when we first walked in and saw her, to when we walked out after our time spent with her, was amazing. Beforehand, she was quiet and shy but after we had discussed the possibility that she could be swimming with dolphins, she had the biggest smile on her face and started giving everyone hugs. Her mum cried with happiness. It made it all worth it.
What would be your own wish?
To take my family on holiday somewhere relaxing for a couple of weeks.
