Post | July 2025 | Volunteer Stories | 2 min read

Finding My Voice: Sarah’s Journey as a Volunteer

A picture of Sarah, a volunteer with Forward Carers, holding a glass of champagne at a celebration event.

In this guest blog from Forward Carers, Sarah shares what it's like to be a Carer Ambassador Volunteer and the difference it makes to her.

“I started volunteering with Forward Carers in 2021 and thoroughly enjoy my role as a Carer Ambassador. Through volunteering with them I’ve been encouraged and supported to talk to groups of fellow carers and to have a voice on the Council’s Carers Partnership Strategy Group where I feel I’ll be able to influence the support carers in Birmingham receive.

I’m able to balance my volunteering around my caring role and have made some new connections making me feel less isolated. I now feel confident to stand up and ensure my voice is heard. I have recently started a new part time job and my volunteering role meant I was able to provide a reference for my new employer.

Volunteering has always been part of who I am and is my way of giving back to society and supporting others who need help, Forward Carers has held my hand as a Carer and I feel through them I’m now able to hold someone else’s hand.”

About Our Carer Ambassadors

Our Carer Ambassadors are still in a caring role or have experienced being a Carer for a family member, friend or neighbour. They’re all passionate about helping other Carers to get the support they need, they raise awareness and understanding of Carers by giving talks to health and social care settings, community groups or workplaces. Our Carer Ambassadors, keep us on track, hold us accountable and help us co-design and shape our services to suit the needs of Carers. Find out who they are and what they do.

If you would like a media interview with one of our Ambassadors or you would like them to give a presentation, please email [email protected]

Volunteering with Forward Carers

Volunteers are at the heart of Forward Carers. The contribution from volunteers enables us to expand our services and bring valuable insights from diverse community perspectives. We have different opportunities available depending on your interests and skills. Discover how you could help carers through volunteering by clicking the button below.

Coffee Morning for Volunteers

Could you be our next volunteer? Come along to our coffee morning where you can find out more about our volunteering opportunities.

When: Wednesday 9 July 2025

Time: Pop along any time between 10.00 am and 2.30 pm

Where: Carers Hub, Touchbase Pears, 750 Bristol Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham B29 6NA

Discover how you could help carers today

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Cooking up kindness: Birmingham’s call for food volunteers

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Across Birmingham, community kitchens, foodbanks and meal projects are busier than ever. The latest Birmingham City-Wide Food Aid Count 2025 shows that more than 22,000 visits were made to food banks in just two weeks this spring - a 64% increase since the 2023 count. It’s a stark reminder of the growing need for food support in our city. Behind every meal served and every parcel packed, there are volunteers - people who turn up week after week to cook, bake, and hand out food with a smile. Their kindness keeps these vital services running, and right now, they need more helping hands. Volunteer Brum currently features several brilliant organisations all looking for new volunteers to join their teams. FoodCycle (pictured) Midland Mencap , The Active Wellbeing Society , Fareshare Midlands , Narthex and Bethany Foodbank are all seeking people who can lend time to help feed their communities. Whether you love cooking, serving, or simply chatting with people as they collect food, there’s a role for you. Teal Martin-Heaven, Midlands Regional Manager from Foodcycle said: "At FoodCycle we have recently started using the BVSC volunteer platform to advertise our various volunteering opportunities across the city. This has been really useful in reaching a wider range of individuals. Through using this platform we have seen an increase in new volunteers supporting our projects across the city." Harry Clark, FoodCycle volunteer commented: "I moved to Birmingham in August and came across FoodCycle when looking for volunteering opportunities. It has been a joy to serve and get to know the locals in the community, and a great way to meet other like minded people volunteering their time in helping others."