by Laura, a SDCAS volunteer
We were excited and grateful to join GALA Festival again this year as their official charity partner. I volunteered for the first time to help with fundraising efforts and had a memorable experience. Our teams headed off over the three days under the gorgeous May sun, armed with suncream and smiles as we tried to gain support and spread information about SDCAS.
GALA is a wonderful music and community event, described by them as “thoughtful, playful, and made to be shared.” I headed out on Friday, joining a team of six on the festival’s first day to chat to attendees and drum up support. Despite my initial nerves about approaching strangers, it became easier as I got into the flow of speaking to people. With the good music, food, drinks, and sunshine, there was a glow around the park that had everyone in great form. Our whole volunteer team was taken aback by the warm response from festival-goers to our presence.
We set up a stall under some lovely shade where we sold t-shirts and handed out flyers. Our space was incredibly colourful, thanks to the bright banners that had been made back at the SDCAS centre. They made our message clear to festival-goers, with the phrases “Stronger Together” and “Refugees Welcome” printed for all to see. People came up to the stall, intrigued by what we were doing and wondering how they could get involved.
There was so much generosity, and many people donated through direct once-off payments or by purchasing t-shirts. At the same time, I noticed how spreading awareness about the ever-growing importance of SDCAS’s work proved just as important as raising funds. I realised how curious people were to hear about the work, with many asking about the services the organisation provides and offering admiration and encouragement. It felt uplifting to engage in these conversations and to be able to share with genuinely interested people. We even managed to gather names from people inspired to join as volunteers!
These few days were incredibly fulfilling as a volunteer, not only because I was part of a joyful gathering of people under the sun, but also because of the immense support shown for SDCAS. I felt lucky to share the experience with a team full of energy and light, and I hope to be back out in the sun again next year!