VOLUNTEERING  FOR CRY

I used to be very anti-charity. Not because I wasn't a caring person, far from it. Sometimes I am more compassionate than is possibly good for me. But like a lot of people I got fed up with different organisations sliding leaflets and letters through my letter box. Or worse "chuggers" stopping me in the street asking for my credit card details! The main thing was that I had no reason to support these causes. The only people I had ever given money to were Children of the Night (only twice) and the Salvation Army because of my religious up-bringing. But that's it.

That was about to change when in April of 2013 I was introduced to a charity that finally made sense to me. My friend Bill was running in the London Marathon for a charity called Cardiac Risk in the Young, more affectionately know as CRY. I decided I would go and cheer him on. I decided to find out about CRY and discovered that their aims made sense to me. Mainly because I had a heart murmur when I was about ten, and maybe still have. And a few years ago I saw a teenager collapse and die from a heart condition outside the cinema where I was working.

This decided me. I registered to Volunteer at the marathon in 2013, while cheering on my friend, whom I later found out was one of CRY's many patrons. I also did a sponsored silence for them.

I have been volunteering for them ever since. People often say, "Which charity do I support? There are so many!". My advice is: pick ONE charity that resonates with you, for whatever reason, and stick to it. Don't worry about the rest. No matter how much money you have; no matter how big a heart you have, you can't help everyone.

I've chosen mine and working for them is absolutely amazing and I love doing it. By volunteering, I have helped and supported others, made wonderful friends, raised money and more importantly, raised awareness.

By volunteering I hope I can help CRY to lower the statistic that twelve young people a week under the age of thirty-five die from an un-diagnosed heart condition.

Working for CRY  is very rewarding and I am incredibly pleased and proud to be volunteering on their behalf.

If you wish to learn about CRY and their aims, please visit: http://www.c-r-y.org.uk/