As we mark Volunteers’ Week, a reflection from Katy MacLeod, Research and Peer Engagement Programme Manager at SDF.
We take time not only to thank the incredible people who continue to give their time, compassion and enthusiasm to support SDF’s work, but also to remember those volunteers who made such a valuable contribution and are sadly no longer with us.
Every organisation is built on people. At the heart of SDF’s work is our volunteers, whose commitment and dedication have helped shape who we are today.
The volunteers we remember this Volunteers’ Week gave countless hours to our peer research, public and patient involvement, living experience engagement, and e-learning development work. Some volunteered with us for many years, while others were with us for a shorter time. Every contribution mattered, and each person has left a lasting mark on our organisation and the wider sector through their important work.
Beyond their contributions, they brought warmth, humour, dedication, and great compassion to our organisation. Their impact continues to be felt by staff, fellow volunteers and throughout our community.
Volunteers’ Week is a time for celebration, but also for reflection and gratitude. We are proud to honour the memory of those who gave so much to support SDF’s mission. Their legacy lives on in the work we do every day and in the sense of community they helped to build.
To the volunteers we have lost: thank you. Your contribution will not be forgotten.
And to everyone who volunteers today, thank you for continuing the work and values they helped shape.
“This week, it is especially important to pause and remember the dedicated volunteers who are no longer with us. I feel privileged to have worked alongside so many people who gave their time and shared their experiences to help shape SDF’s work, and I remember those we have lost with great gratitude and affection.
“They are deeply missed by me, my colleagues, fellow volunteers and everyone whose lives they touched. We will continue to honour their impact, legacy and memory in our work and mission.”
– Samantha Stewart, Senior Development Officer in the SDF Research and Peer Engagement team
“We remember all those who lost their lives to drug-related death and their loved ones. Their presence at the Living Experience Engagement Groups brought honesty, courage and shared understanding. By sharing their insight, they helped to shape conversations, challenge stigma and ensure their voices were heard and made a difference. Their contributions at groups were meaningful and absences deeply felt.”
– Kat McCallion, SDF Living Experience Engagement Officer