Andy Drozdziak
Caritas Salford is ‘thrilled’ after winning an award at the prestigious Spirit of Manchester Awards.
The Spirit of Manchester Awards is a series of awards celebrating and highlighting ‘excellent work’ being carried out in Manchester’s voluntary and community sector. They are run by Manchester Community Central and are held annually.
Caritas Cornerstone, part of Caritas Salford, won the award for Volunteer Involving Organisation at this year’s ceremony on 5th October, which Director Patrick O’Dowd called ‘a huge achievement that we’re all really proud of.’
“Winning this award means such a lot to our whole team. Volunteers are so incredibly important to our work and we have more than 260 amazing people who generously give their time to support our teams across the area,” Mr O’Dowd told the Universe.
“Involving our volunteers and people who come to access our services in the shaping of our work, understanding what our priorities should be, and ensuring continuous improvement is at the heart of what we do and it’s great to have some of that activity recognised with this award.”
Caritas Salford is a charity which supports people experiencing poverty, homelessness and disadvantage across Greater Manchester and Lancashire. Volunteering involves helping Caritas Salford make ‘a positive impact and help change lives.’
Patrick O’Dowd highlighted the ‘kindness’ of those who voted for and support Caritas Salford.
“With the cost-of-living crisis continuing to hit the communities we serve hard, the kindness of people who think of Caritas has arguably never been more important. Big thanks to everyone who voted for us on the night and for all the people who continue to support Caritas and the people we work alongside too. We are hugely grateful,” he said.
Caritas Salford believes that volunteering ‘should be a mutually beneficial experience where volunteers can contribute to our strategic goals and enjoy a fulfilling experience while also learning new skills.’
“We’re committed to providing a supportive environment for our volunteers, managing our relationships in a way that ensures the needs of both parties are met,” the charity said.
“We aim to create a diverse and inclusive organisation – with a warm welcome guaranteed for everyone who joins our team.”
To find out more about volunteering with Caritas Salford, visit www.caritassalford.org.uk/volunteer/
Picture from left to right: Karolina Minias, Samara Brown, Caitlan Macleod, Lynda Eales. Picture credit: www.caritassalford.org.uk