Laura is Volunteer of the Year!!

Laura Windisch, Reading Family Aid's 'Toys and Teens' Manager, was recently awarded the University of Reading's Alumni and Supporter Volunteer of the Year.

She started volunteering as an undergraduate, helping to man the university Nightline listening service for students who needed someone to talk to. After graduating in French and German, Laura worked at the university for many years in various administration roles before leaving to take up a role in admissions at Oxford Brookes. In 2019 she retired as Head of Admissions and, looking for a voluntary role, found that Reading Family Aid were looking for a project manager to manage the 'Toys and Teens' project. Her skills matched what we were looking for and she joined us that Autumn. During the Covid pandemic she also volunteered in the university medical centre booking students in for their covid vaccinations and she helped Activate Learning College in Bracknell to process testing their students for COVID-19 before they could return to school.

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Laura with Cllr Tony Page, Reading's Mayor, and may of the volunteers at last Year's Toys and Teens project

​For Laura, it’s as simple as being able to help others that drives her passion for volunteering. She explained: “I know it sounds corny, but I genuinely do enjoy helping others. If someone can do something with my help, that they otherwise couldn’t have, then it’s worth it.”
It is that feeling that she endorses to those considering volunteering. Laura said: “If you’re thinking about volunteering, you’re thinking about it for a reason and you should do it! You’ll make new friends, have new experiences and you will feel good about yourself- what’s not to love?
“My advice would be to try and find a role that suits your skills, whether that’s cooking, listening, planning, driving or gardening. If you find a role that uses your skills then you’ll be able to make the biggest difference and find it more fulfilling.”
It is this wealth of dedication to helping others that won Laura the 2024 Celebration of Volunteering Alumni and Supporters Award on 25 April. On hearing that she had won, Laura said: “I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face, it was just amazing. I couldn’t wait to tell my friends at Age UK and Reading Family Aid – they were really proud.” 

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