Today we would like to recognise one of our many dedicated and generous volunteers involved in facilitating our Marriage Preparation training days.
One in over 600 Marriage Care volunteers, who has been serving with us since January 2017, Ann, has made her impression on the lives of so many couples looking to marry in the Catholic Church.
She, alongside a large group of dedicated individuals, has helped our charity facilitate 313 Preparing Together days since last April. With her time and support 2,295 couples across England, Wales and Gibraltar attended a Preparing Together day course before getting married in the Catholic Church since last year.
Although we are very focused on our client’s quality of experience/ successes, we equally value the experiences and journeys of those serving within the charity. We appreciate that the volunteer journey is as rewarding as the client journey only the satisfaction is attained by the generous giving of time, resources and skills.
We believe that every one of you out there has something unique to contribute when you join our work because of the diversity in your own lives. Every person working for Marriage Care is on a journey to find where they belong and where they can help, below is Ann’s journey.
As it is national volunteer’s week, we want to take this time to recognise our larger national volunteer community. We love to celebrate our volunteers at every stage.
Marriage Preparation is just one aspect of what Marriage Care volunteers do; we have an entire army of volunteers in support roles dealing with all the behind the scenes arrangements to ensure everything is run smoothly. We also have a wonderful network of trained counselling volunteers supporting couples that are struggling on their relationship journeys.
These counselling volunteers have been fully trained to recognised professional standards to ensure high quality, up to date methods are practiced for the benefit of our clients.
Where did it all begin for you?
“I had seen a poster on the noticeboard at my church in Barton upon Humber and I felt that I had some sort of calling to help people planning their wedding and married life. I have been married for 24 years and have had ups and downs in my marriage mainly because my husband was very ill three years into the marriage. These problems can have a serious effect on a relationship and I felt that I could share some of my experiences with couples. Needless to say we got through it and my husband recovered.”
How did you find the training?
“It was an enlightening experience and I met some lovely people training to be Marriage Care facilitators. There was plenty of opportunity to share experiences and there was never a time that I felt awkward during the practical sessions. We were all in it together and we all came through it in the end.”
What were your first impressions of your local Marriage Care team?
“I found the local centre to be a wonderful welcoming team of people who have one shared vision, to provide couples with tools that they need to make their marriage work and be a good one.”
How does your role benefit those you help?
“My role as a facilitator helps couples to address any relationship issues they may have before they become too big to deal with sensibly – I feel we help them to do this with love and care. Couples seem to really enjoy the day and gain a lot from learning the techniques that will help them through their married life.”
What do you enjoy most about your role?
“Meeting the couples and sharing with them my own personal experiences of being married. Being a part of someone’s future in those very early ‘loved up’ stages of their relationship and helping guide them on the right path is truly rewarding.”
What do you get personally from being part of a local Marriage Care team?
“I get the satisfaction that I have given couples much food for thought and some tools to help them through their marriage.”
Interview with Ann Taylor by Rebecca Thorat, article by Rebekah Watson
We believe that every one of you out there has something fresh and individual to present when you join our work across England and Wales.
If you found this article interesting and would like to know more about our services click here.
If you would like to know more about getting involved with our organisation click here.
If you would like to contact us with your volunteering story please click here to find Rebekah Watson’s contact details (communications for Marriage Care).