Volunteers' Week 2022: Getting involved in your local fundraising community

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Volunteers

In this blog written for Volunteers Week, Paul Montgomery, Chair of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising Northern Ireland Group, discusses his role and what it has meant to him.

“Have you ever thought about getting more involved in your local fundraising community?”

For several years now I’ve volunteered on the Chartered Institute of Fundraising Northern Ireland Group. We’re a small group and we try to do as much as we can as well as we can do it. We know our limits and we know the way forward for us is to have even more brilliant people come and join our group.

I was delighted to step into the role of group Chair in March and wanted to take this opportunity to say a massive thanks to Northern Ireland group’s Vice-Chair, Emma Corry, for getting me involved in the first place. Additionally, a thank you is needed for the group’s past chairs Nadine Campbell and Callum Clark for showing me the ropes and to all the committee and members for everything you do to support.

We’re all professional fundraisers, volunteering our time and experience to help build and support the local fundraising community. There’s real excellence in fundraising across the charity sector in Northern Ireland and we’re here to give it the focus it deserves, connecting fundraisers and sharing those skills so we can all support wider society.

I work with a national charity, so I volunteer because I want to feel part of a local community. It puts me outside of my comfort zone sometimes, but, in return, I learn loads from the amazing committee and get the chance to connect with lots of new people across the sector, both locally and right across the UK and Ireland.

No matter where we are in our careers, we all have something to offer. If you’d ever considered getting involved, I’d recommend it to anyone. There’s no better time than now so please do send me a message if you’d like to hear more.

Paul Montgomery
Paul Montgomery
Northern Ireland Group, Chair and Policy Lead

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