In this edition, we interviewed a member of our Support Group, Richard Howard.
What does being a member of the Support Group involve?
The Bolton MRT support group has about 12 members who are mainly responsible for fundraising for the team. We’re regularly involved in supermarket collections, village fairs, and festivals. The Support Group are also responsible for maintaining the collection tins we have across our area – almost 100 tins. I am also the Marketing Officer for the team.
What does the role of Marketing Officer involve?
This is a very varied role and doesn’t really have a job spec! As Marketing Officer, the overall purpose of the role is to increase awareness of the team and our activities and to work with our Fundraising Officer to help increase donations. There are a whole host of things that I do, including producing literature for use at events, managing our website (have you seen the new one?), and working with the Social Media Team to publicise our callouts, events, and training nights.
What is your day job?
My day job is a long way from volunteering for the team. I’m a marketing manager for one of the largest high street banks. It’s very much a desk job and I don’t get out and about. Volunteering for the team really helps me get away from the day job, meet a new set of people and learn new skills. Through joining the team, I’ve met people that I’m lucky enough to have as a friend. I never knew volunteering for Bolton MRT would be so rewarding, and really helps me forget about working for a bank!
What is the most important quality needed to be a member of the Support Group?
We need our Support Group members to be committed and reliable. However, I think the most important quality is the ability to be able to work as part of a team. The group is made up of individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, each with their individual skills and qualities. What makes us strong and successful is that we all come together and help drive the team forward – and have a great laugh in the meantime! And before you ask, yes we are recruiting. If you are interested, just email our support team leader – support.tl@boltonmrt.org.uk