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#BeInspired July 2017/#BeInspired Adult Learning and Skills - #BeInspired 2017 - Award Winner Sam Clift Sam Clift is in his 9 th year of volunteering and leading ‘Club 55’, an internet club which meets weekly in Girton. Club 55 has grown out one of the original Community Access Points established in Cambridgeshire over a decade ago, supported by Adult Learning and Skills and Community volunteers. Here is an extract from the nomination we received for Sam which describes Club 55 and shows the impact it has on the local community. This why Sam won the Inspiring Volunteer Award. “The club is open to all members of the local community. It helps people from all walks of life. On most Monday mornings the club is almost bursting at the seams with more than 30 people in attendance. The club members welcome everyone and inspire their own members to go on and become Digital Champions in their own right. Club 55 helps the most vulnerable people to get online safely and keep in touch with family members. Working with Adult Learning and Skills, Club 55 has also been integral in providing absolutely invaluable training experiences to new Digital Champion learners by giving them hands on experience at the club.” And Sam himself outlines the impact volunteering has had on his life and on the local community: “Volunteering has had a huge impact on my life in many different ways, meeting and making friends. It has given me a great deal of personal pleasure watching people enjoy learning and most importantly socialising whilst they do so, it has opened doors for me and given me a purpose in life...something to get up in the morning for after retirement. Many of the people we meet have lost long term partners and live by themselves. It's important for them to get out and socialise in an effort to combat loneliness. I don't think it matters what they do, anywhere is a great meeting place to hear them gossiping over a cup of tea about their friends and to pick up information about others less fortunate and who might need help. Indeed, one hears about how people can help each other by perhaps just a friendly visit for a chat - and that does happen. People are living a lot longer these days and it's my opinion that huge social benefits can be achieved by clubs such as Club 55. I am sure that with a little professional and financial help an awful lot of loneliness can be alleviated and Clubs could become self financing and very useful social tools in the community” Does this story inspire you to take action yourself? Contact Club 55, St. Vincent's Close Community Centre, Girton. Mondays 10 am to 12 noon. Email: [email protected] or Adult Learning and Skills www.cambsals.co.uk
