National Volunteers Week – Robert Weaver, Cadet Instructor

As part of National Volunteers Week 2016 we are celebrating those who offer up their time and efforts by volunteering with Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I work for Tata Steel and they are sponsoring the Cadets in Port Talbot. I thought it would be good to help out and also bring my son along to join the cadets. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

We get excellent support from the Community Safety Team as they organise the activities and communicate all the information to us. They encourage us to partake in community activates which really gives us a sense that the Cadets are integrated into the wider community. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

There is a good range of activities for the children. Today for example, for the first hour they have been building a dam under the supervision of the fire and in the second half of the session they are presenting a strategy on how, over the next 6 months, they are going to offer their help in the community and recruit more cadets. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It’s well worth while volunteering as a Cadet Instructor. There is a real sense of personal satisfaction from seeing the children really engaging with something that is of service to the community. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It’s really good because when the children started they were true individuals and now they are becoming part of a team as a result of socialising together whilst growing in confidence as they progress. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As a father, I’m seeing my son undertake activities he would never have dreamt of. It’s fantastic. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​