Volunteer celebration at Diversity Matters

Diversity Matters North West is an independent local charity focused on reducing health inequalities and social exclusion while promoting community cohesion.

The charity began as Hyde Community Action in 2007 and has since expanded its reach and impact to promote stronger communities and tackle health problems and inequality.

On Monday this week, their Volunteers Awards event took place at Hyde Central Methodist Church and celebrated the dedication and hard work of the charity’s volunteers, who are integral to its mission. The event was also attended by the Civic Mayor of Tameside Shibley Alam

The organisation is well recognised for its volunteer-driven approach, recently receiving The King’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest honour for local volunteer groups in the UK, equivalent to an MBE. 

The celebration underscores the charity’s commitment to empowering local residents and fostering a strong, inclusive community.

Julie Birchenall, Centre Co-Ordinator said: “We're very proud of our volunteers. The support that they give to us and to the community just enables us to carry on our great work here and also it's really nice to see their own personal journeys of how they develop and how they grow and what they go on to do after they've volunteered with us as well. We've got lots of ladies who've gone on to start up small, businesses or gone on to college courses to pursue further career situations”

“We support women from the South Asian community to empower them to help themselves and to help other people. Unfortunately, there is quite a divide in the way that access to resources and jobs and things like general appointment making which can be a real struggle for somebody who doesn't have English as their first language and who doesn't have anybody who can actually support them.”

Julie went on to say: “We're only as quite a small team, we're nine members of staff. Because obviously we are a charity, everything has to be funded even our staff positions.

“So we do try to keep those to a minimum. We've got nine full members of staff that are there at the centre, five days a week for the support. We have our sessions running on a daily basis.So each day there is a different session, be that be an active, advice session where the ladies can drop in and we can help them with making doctor's appointments or answering letters from the council, things like that. We also do a computer club which has been very very popular.

They've been learning to use computers, how to create a CV for themselves, and also use email, just so they've got that little bit of knowledge of how to send an email, how to make those contacts, how to use the Internet to find the resources that they need.”

You can hear some of the interviews recorded on the day this Thursday at 7pm on 103.6FM Tameside Radio.

For more information on Diversity Matters, visit their website www.diversitymattersnw.org.uk/