An aylesbury based volunteer has won a National Award for her selfless work for charity.
Helen Pettifer has been announced the winner of The Youth Enterprise annual Volunteer of the Year Award for 2021.
She helps the Aylesbury Vale area of Young Enterprise, a charity that supports young people with money and business skills, setting them up for their adult life.
Helen told us how she felt upon receiving this award:
"Well, it came as a big surprise because I wasn't 100 percent sure. I didn't know that there was this national award each year. And I got a phone call out of the blue from our area manager. And she told me that I had been shortlisted as a finalist for the award and then I was the overall winner. And that was at the end of June. And then I picked up the award last week. It's a real honour, but it is a surprise."
She told Bucks Radio how she got into volunteering for Youth Enterprise: "
"Prior to living in Aylesbury I lived in Kent and I was a Girl Brigade officer. So I've always had an interest in working with young people, supporting them, helping them with life choices and employability skills. So when I moved to Aylesbury and somebody mentioned this and they said, would I come on board. I jumped at the chance. I thought this is a great way I can put my business skills into use. I'm learning at the same time. I've never set up a business myself until I moved to Aylesbury, so I thought we can all learn together."
She also explained how rewarding volunteering can be:
"They really get engrossed and engaged in the process and building their business, bringing their product to market. And they really believe in what they do in. And you can really the enthusiasm and the energy really shifts as the year progresses. It’s fabulous to see them at the very start in September through to the final showcase at the end of the year when they do the final presentations, the difference in those students is phenomenal."
She encourages everyone to get involved.
"If there's anybody out there who runs their own business or works for an organization who would love to get involved with us and share their skills and knowledge, then please, do either get in touch with me or check out the website and and get involved, because it's one of the most amazing things you can do."
If you’d like to get involved with Young Enterprise you can visit their website - https://www.young-enterprise.org.uk/
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