Volunteering at Bishop's Palace

14-year-old CE began volunteering at Bishop's Palace as part of the Duke of Edinburgh programme and quickly realised it was a fulfilling way to give back to her community while gaining invaluable work experience. Here, she shares her journey:

“I was inspired to volunteer as part of my Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Award because I wanted to make a positive impact in my community and develop new skills. 

"In my role, I’ve had the opportunity to take on a variety of tasks, from planning a photography competition and packaging food for swans, to labelling juice bottles and polishing bench plaques. I’ve also helped put up a poppy display, assisted with the carol service, and taken part in gardening projects.

“Volunteering has really developed my social and gardening skills, and I believe it will be a valuable asset for my future. Completing the DofE Award not only shows my commitment and work ethic, but it will also impress future employers by showing my ability to balance different responsibilities and contribute to a team.

“I really recommend volunteering to others. It provides a sense of purpose and self-worth while allowing you to meet new people from different backgrounds. The experience has been incredibly rewarding—it's fun and fulfilling, and though it presents challenges, they are manageable and offer opportunities to learn and grow in ways you wouldn’t expect.”

Siobhan Goodwin, Bishop’s Palace Community Engagement Manager, comments:

“We're so grateful to CE, her contribution to our young photographer’s competition was crucial as she helped us plan it and was involved from the start. She also had one of her photographs in the exhibition! CE has also made a wonderful job of polishing the brass plaques on the memorial benches in the Bishop’s Palace and Garden, which the visitors really appreciate too.”

If CE's story has inspired you would to give volunteering a go, click on the link below.