Volunteering heroes celebrated in Covid-19 photography series

Proudly representing the Lisburn and Castlereagh area is Musgrave Nurse, Jill Conn and her 14-year-old daughter Gemma who volunteered with Drumbo Community Action Group.

Drumbo Action Group was formed earlier this year by bringing together seven local organisations under one community volunteering group. As the pandemic hit and lockdown restrictions were imposed, local heroes from across the Drumbo and Lisburn area came together to create and deliver food parcels to vulnerable people within the community.

Jill, Gemma and countless other volunteers took to the roads to deliver over 400 boxes of food throughout a seventeen-week period, thanks to funding provided from Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Community Foundation, Tesco and Groundworks. They also delivered other vital items such as medical prescriptions, glasses and provided a friendly face for those isolating.

“Many days our deliveries took longer than expected because people who were isolating were so happy to have company,” said Jill. “We often stayed longer to have a chat with them through the window, or from a safe distance. Volunteering brought our community closer together.”

Group advocate, Ian Patterson, added: “Volunteer Now have been great in helping us to recruit volunteers throughout these unprecedented times. Without their help we may not have been able to fulfil the same demand and support the Drumbo Community as well as we have.”

The images are available at www.volunteernow.co.uk.