Shortly before Christmas 2007, I heard that HRH the Princess Royal, President of the Princess Royal Trust for Carers, would open our Carers Centre in Carlisle. 2008 got off to a busy start, I wanted to finish my dissertation before the cut-off date – but I was beginning to panic – HRH’s forthcoming visit was taking me away from my Lampeter studies.

Princess Anne duly arrived and was truly inspirational – that’s me greeting her at the door of our Centre.  And I did finish my dissertation.  I delivered it personally, driving down from Carlisle to Lampeter with just two days to spare!  Everyone in VSS made a fuss of me which I enjoyed immensely as well as being ‘escorted’ by two lady PhD’s to the local pub for lunch.   

Driving back to Carlisle I began to reflect over my degree journey and Carlisle Carers which we founded in October 2001. I hadn’t long finished the Certificate in Interpersonal Skills for Volunteers and, at the time, was mid-way through Level One.

Setting-up Carlisle Carers has also been a journey.  It has been a bumpy ride at times but we are now firmly established.  Princess Anne’s visit was our “graduation” and in many ways parallels my Voluntary Sector Studies degree, which sometimes has been a bumpy ride trying to fit study around the other things in my life. 

Pondering on the similarities as I drove home, I suddenly realised how my Lampeter studies had shaped my role as the Chair Trustee of Carlisle Carers. I had studied Structures in Organisations and Organisational Change, Ageing, Addiction and the Psychology modules, all of which gave me a clearer understanding of the issues involved in setting-up a charity for unpaid carers. But the significant factor was my confidence as a trustee.  It was growing as I studied for my degree.  Each completed assignment on the VSS journey was making a positive impact upon my trustee role, even the bumpy marked assignments!

My message to all new Certificate in Interpersonal Skills for Volunteers starters, especially those questioning their confidence and to those of you having bumpy times. What came through to me as I drove back to Carlisle is that if I can complete the Lampeter journey, other people can too, so why not you?

See Also:

James' Story
Certificate in Interpersonal Skills for Volunteers page
Visit the Carisle Carers web-site (opens in a new window)