Volunteers’ Week 2023 – shining a light on your contributions
Lincoln’s Inn marks Volunteers’ Week 2023 (1-7 June) by shining a light on the invaluable contribution our volunteers make – from governance, to training and education, to gardening – without which the Inn would not be able to deliver all that we do.
The theme of the 39th annual Volunteers’ Week is ‘Celebrate and Inspire’ and we hope to encourage more of you to get involved with volunteering whilst thanking those of you who already play an active role at the Inn.
Between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023 an impressive 389 members volunteered for Membership & Education events, enabling the department to deliver close to 200 events. Many of those volunteers offered their services on multiple occasions to various trainings, events and initiatives.
We would like to say a special thank you to our ‘top 10’ volunteers, who helped with the most areas of our work during that time. They are:
- Laura Gould
- Charlotte Pope-Williams
- Laura Bayles
- Anthony James
- George Payne
- Alexander dos Santos
- Anthony Dinkin KC
- Antonia Benfield
- Dr Brian Nicholson KC
- Dominic Nolan KC
When asked why he gives up his time to volunteer at Lincoln’s Inn, Dominic Nolan KC said:
“I volunteered to help with the Inn’s educational work because when I was a student from a “non-traditional” background, volunteer members of the Inn did so much to help and encourage me in my effort to come to the Bar. I felt it was incumbent upon me to do what I could to repeat the process for the benefit of others. As it happens getting involved in education has provided its own rich reward. It has been very satisfying to play a small part in helping others make the journey I did, and I have made many friends amongst fellow volunteers from the Inn.”
The sense of satisfaction is a recurring theme from our volunteers, as explained by Laura Gould:
“Volunteering for Lincoln’s Inn has helped me to develop at all stages of my career, from giving me confidence as a junior barrister teaching Bar students, to helping me continue to improve my advocacy as a qualified advocacy tutor, and introducing me to many friends. Teaching is an excellent form of CPD; you reflect on what your students/pupils/new practitioners are doing, consider why you would do it differently, explain your advice clearly and in some cases, demonstrate what you have advised them to do. It is also incredibly rewarding to see tutees learn from your advice and develop in such a short space of time during a lesson or teaching weekend.”
Many of our members also volunteer for the wider community by giving their time to important initiatives such as Support Through Court, Advocate, the FRU and more.
Did you know that it isn’t only our members who volunteer at Lincoln’s Inn?
In March 2023, Lincoln’s Inn also began a volunteering scheme with our Gardens Team and it is proving to be a great success. Notices were placed on Volunteer Action Camden’s website and at Capel Manor College, which is where our volunteer, Amanda, signed up.
“I love gardens, always have. Gardens people are lovely and I really enjoy being outdoors. I am currently studying Level 1 in Horticulture at Capel Manor College and I also have a new garden of my own to tackle, so I volunteered at the Inn to gain experience in other gardens and to put the skills I am learning into practice. Lincoln’s Inn is a lovely place to work!”
Amanda, Gardens' volunteer
The volunteers spend one day a week with us and provide invaluable support in maintaining the gardens whilst also developing their own skills under the guidance of the Inn’s gardeners.
Miranda Kimberley, Head Gardener, said:
“Thank you for all the hard work that our garden volunteers do. They started in March this year and have been invaluable in getting the garden ready for summer, planting, weeding and sowing grass seed, amongst many other tasks. They work with us once a week and bring a great energy, enthusiasm for plants and their own experience to bolster our team!”
Why not come and see the fruits of their labour at Open Gardens Weekend on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 June 2023? It is a great opportunity to enjoy our the Inn’s Gardens and meet the team.