Volunteer tutors go above and beyond
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Top performing staff and volunteers have been recognised for their outstanding efforts at High Life Highland’s (HLH) annual award ceremony.
Held at Strathpeffer Pavilion, local volunteers Grace Ritchie and Annice Morrison were among those rewarded for their work with the adult learning service.
Both are volunteer tutors who were originally assigned to work with a single Syrian family who resettled in Alness.
As former teachers they set up English classes at Milnafua Hall for the family before realising there were others in the area who would benefit from the same support and opened up the classes to a further eight families.
They then went to recruit a team of helpers so that childcare could be provided while classes were running.
And the pair also helped to produce personalised reading books as well as supporting family learning events including health walks along the Averon River and a number of multicultural events in Inverness.
Going above and beyond what would normally be expected of a volunteer tutor they have helped ensure that HLH is able to offer a high quality support package to families as part of the Highland Council Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocations Scheme.
Speaking about the contribution made by a whole host of staff and volunteers HLH chairman Donald McLachlan said: "HLH hugely values the contribution made by its volunteers and is privileged to have over 1700 volunteers who work tirelessly, week in and week out to assist our staff in delivering a wide range of activities in and around our communities throughout the Highlands.
"We literally could not deliver the wide range and number of services without their help."
