CRUK Volunteers Showcase - David Collins

 "I may only be one person but I can be one person who can make a difference"

I am so happy to bring you this weeks volunteer showcase as it features the man I consider my unofficial mentor. 

David Collins is one of the most inspiring people I've ever met. He has a very special way about him - he is able to find the magic words to give you encouragement when you need it, he has brilliant ideas and always knows how to react with a clear head and appropriate facts in any situation when dealing with our campaigns. He is also brilliant at dealing with those that are very vocal in opposing our campaigns. David is the epitome of what volunteering is all about and I'm really happy to share his story and advice with you today. On a personal note, David, I think you're brilliant and you definitely show me the way with my own volunteering and encourage me to aim higher always!

What made you decide to volunteer for CRUK?

I was recovering from a bilateral knee replacement which I hoped was going to end a period of disability. A disability which had caused me to retire early from my main employment as a Police Officer. I had worked in various jobs since leaving the Police but by the time I had my  operations I was virtually house bound. The operations were life changing for me. While I realised I could not return to my previous career I  was looking for a flexible non physical volunteer role which suited my experience. Like many people, I have friends and family who have been affected by Cancer so I already supported Cancer Research UK with a regular donation. It was in one of their publications that I saw the ambassador program advertised. It appealed to me so I applied and was excepted. It was my second life changing event which eventually led to me once again being employed. I now work as an Expert By Experience on Care Quality Commission inspection teams through the Charity “Choice Support”.  http://www.choicesupport.org.uk/index.php/experts-by-experience

 

What sort of things do you do for the charity?

I promote the work of CRUK on social media by sharing their posts and commenting on Cancer related posts which I see. I’m not a Cancer expert by any stretch of the imagination so I tend to restrict my activities to posting links to the CRUK website. Most recently, most of my time has been taken up with challenging some of the myths and misleading information being posted about tobacco use and tobacco marketing. I find it best not to get into personal arguments with individuals online and just post the research information. It’s important that people have reliable information on which to make decisions. Social media is full of misleading information and conspiracy theories from anonymous individuals. These need to be challenged. Press headlines on Cancer issues can also be misleading. I strongly believe that people need to ask to see the evidence behind these claims. The CRUK science blog is my go to resource for reliable information on many of the claims I readhttp://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org

I also engage with local and national politicians at meetings and via correspondence. It may not be a popular view but I believe that the vast majority of politicians I have met are genuinely committed to helping their constituents.  They are the ultimate decision makers on how the results of CRUK  research is used in the fight against Cancer, It’s vital that they are given accurate trustworthy information. This has been and will continue to be of the upmost importance as the Multinational, very rich, Tobacco Companies continue to throw money into the fight against any tobacco control issues. We can not allow them to hook another generation on their killer products.

 

What are your favourite aspects of volunteering for the charity?

Being part of a fantastic team of talented and committed volunteers. And knowing that what we do makes a difference. As I grew up, I hardly heard anyone talk about Cancer. That is changing as people see more and more people surviving Cancer. There is much more to be done and many, like me, will have have lost friends to Cancer last year so we can not relax our efforts. We need more research and we need to ensure that the politicians continue to support the fight against Cancer.

 

Do you have any future volunteering plans?

As the Election comes around, I’ll be  concentrating more on the CRUK Cross out Cancer Campaignhttp://www.cancerresearchuk.org/support-us/campaign-for-us/cross-cancer-out

I will also be spending time promoting my other main charity the North West Air Ambulance where I volunteer as a SpeakerDelivering presentations to local groups and organisations.https://nwaa.net/fundraising/volunteer

I also intend to spend more time promoting and encouraging local volunteering for my chosen charities. It’s probably my sports coaching background but I’m a great believer in team building. I’ve met some very talented people who just needed a little support to boost their confidence. Hopefully the work we have done with other Ambassadors to develop a team ethos helped them become the fantastic supporters and advocates for the Charity they are.

 

What advice would you give to anyone considering volunteering for CRUK?

I’ve two pieces of advice

1, There is a volunteer position that will suit everyone and I promise you will not find a more professional and caring charity when it comes to dealing with people who are willing to give up their time. So have a look at the volunteering opportunities and give it a go. It can be a life changing experience.

 

2,  Get a diary and mark in the days you are NOT available and be strict with yourself. You can't do everything so just do what you can when you can.

There is a tendency for people to feel they need to do more when they see what others do. Don’t be afraid to say no, we can’t all be marathon runners, or bloggers. We can't all spend every Sunday as race volunteer.  We all have different responsibilities to our families. The amount of time people can spend in volunteer work will vary and has no relationship to commitment. A burnt out volunteer is no use to anyone and no one will criticise you for saying “Sorry I’m not available”.