“Growing up in Kingston, I had seen the eye-catching Momentum logo at various events, so I was familiar with the charity name. Late last year I was in a position where I wanted to use some of my free time to volunteer, and I immediately got in touch with Momentum to see if they had any opportunities – I’m so glad I did!

I volunteer alongside my cousin Ishaaq, and it has been fantastic. My cousin is like my little brother, but because we’re both busy with work and he lives in North London, we never got to spend much time together. Volunteering with Momentum felt like the perfect chance to spend some time catching up whilst also doing something really fulfilling. What I love the most about Momentum is regardless of whether you volunteer alone or with someone, the entire team is like a big family and it’s a great opportunity to meet others. 

My day job is very different to volunteering – I work for Amazon as a Team Lead within our Retail E-commerce space. Whilst it is a city-based job, volunteering is something I’ve always wanted to do independently during the evenings and at weekends. Amazon themselves do a lot for charities and I’ve had the opportunity to do some volunteering for other organisations through my job with them.

My first volunteering role with Momentum was at their Spirit of Christmas Grotto last Christmas – it was so special! Not only had the team made a beautiful space for all the children and their families, but everyone really encompassed the Christmas spirit! My cousin Ishaaq and I were elves for the day and I was posted outside raising money by selling Christmas Penguins and Wishing Coins. We had to brace the British weather and winds a little bit, but the event itself was a huge success and everyone left the Grotto with big smiles… elves included!
 
I felt an immense sense of pride representing the charity at the London Landmarks Half Marathon and at the London Marathon. Not only was it extremely inspiring to support the runners, but the atmosphere was also great. As part of the cheer squad, we were responsible for being Momentum Ambassadors; flying our flags high and cheering on all runners as they approached the finish line. Whilst it sounds simple on paper… trying to spot Momentum runners amidst 1000s of others was a bit of a challenge, not to mention the London winds almost blowing the Momentum flags onto the pathway! 

The most rewarding part of volunteering for Momentum is genuinely feeling like you’re making a difference. Whether it’s helping at an event or cheering on runners; learning about the incredible work Momentum does for unwell children and their families is really inspiring. I can’t wait to see what the rest of this year and beyond holds.

Volunteering at Momentum never feels like a chore because you are surrounded by amazing, caring people who all want to make a difference in any way they can – it genuinely feels like a family and that’s what I think is so special.”

Interested in volunteering for Momentum? Find out about our opportunities here