It is always a great pleasure to celebrate success and Volunteers Week gives us a perfect opportunity to say thank you and well done to all of our volunteers.   Pathway wouldn’t work as effectively without the time and energy that people commit to the roles they undertake in a voluntary capacity.   Everyone who gives time, whether that is answering the helplines, sorting donations, helping with the running of groups, coffee mornings through to the trustees – is giving something that money could never buy.   We are so lucky and blessed to have you all on board and want to say a big thank you!

There was a story which circulated on e-mail for some time about two young men who graduated from college together.   Both were above average students and very personable.   Both had ambitious dreams for the future.    Some years passed and they attended the 25 ^th reunion.

They were very much alike – both happily married, both had three children and both had jobs in the same company.   One managed a small department of the company and one was the president.   What made the difference?

Sometimes when you are working hard to achieve something good, it feels like other people seem to get there just by luck.   It feels like everything goes well for them and then there’s you!   The thing is that the universe is no respecter of persons – only principles.  

Think of it like gravity.    Gravity works in the same way whether you are rich or poor, whether you are famous or just an everyday person.   Everyone is subject to the law of gravity.   If you step off the edge of a building it won’t matter how ‘lucky’ you are – gravity will work the same.   You will have violated a principle of the world we live in.

Success is the same.   It’s no respecter of persons, only principles.   Sometimes people get a lucky break and they do well, but when you look back they have been working hard for a long time to get that lucky break.   It wasn’t so much luck as a worked for achievement.

Our volunteers are working hard to create their opportunities.   Some of them would like a career change or a job opportunity and they are able to get training and experience which will give them an edge in their applications.   Some of them want to do something to help other people because they understand the pain of suffering abuse, or because they realise how blessed they are not to fully understand.

 Whatever the reason that you are volunteering your time to Pathway we would like to thank you for your time, your commitment and your part in the work that we do.   You are very important to us and we are a better organisation because of YOU.   Thank you so much.