The Volunteer Spotlight is a feature that takes a look at the volunteers who are involved with ACE and whose efforts make the work that we do possible.
This time around around our interview Razak Hussein spoke to Becca J who teaches maths and science at our Thursday and Saturday sessions.
Volunteer week falls on the 1st of June every year and it happens to be a wonderful time to not only get involved in volunteering, but also give thanks the the many volunteers that work selflessly to provide a greater experience for others. Volunteers do such great work for this country to the point where the estimated value of their work within UK charities amounts to a staggering 22.6 billion.
The Volunteer Spotlight is a feature that takes a look at the volunteers who are involved with ACE and whose efforts make the work that we do possible.
The feature returns after a bit of a break, with a new “host” asking the questions. Razak Hussein, our new social media organiser, spoke to Robyn Mercer, an English tutor at our Thursday session and more recently at the Saturday session as well!
Cityscapes, Nature walks, Starry nights and Graffiti? All in a single package of art. At the final TLC session before Easter as is tradition we did something a little bit different. This term we got a little bit creative at the ACE Cardiff Art Gallery. The young people at the session were invited to learn about different types of art from Van Gogh to Banksy and try their hand at their own attempts.
ACE Cardiff is pleased to announce that Gerald Puttock has accepted the Trustees invitation to become a patron of the charity, alongside Dame Shirley 
Bassey.
As the charity’s founder, and leader through the first twelve years of its existence, Gerry has often been called “Mr ACE” by those who have interacted with him.
Throughout the latter months of 2017, Gerry handed over the running of The Learning Club (“TLC”) to Saeed Ebrahim, who had joined ACE in September. Gerry then left his role of COO at the end of December.
Going forward, Saeed will head up TLC with Kate Cassidy leading our English for Speakers of Other Languages (“ESOL”) provision and John Lomond responsible for administration and volunteer coordination.
We wish Gerry well in his new adventures and hope that ACE Cardiff can carry on the legacy that he created.
We were very happy to be contacted recently by a representative from the Volunteering Team at the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to inform us that one of our former volunteers, Queena Lee, had been honoured with a Points of Light award, a recognition from the government of people who have been inspirational in their volunteering.
This isn’t the first time we’ve written about Queena receiving recognition for the work she has done, having been awarded the Young Achiever title at the Ethnic Minority Welsh Women Achievement Association awards earlier this year. It also comes as no surprise to us, knowing the amount of enthusiasm and commitment Queena puts into her volunteering, but we are none-the-less more than pleased for her to have received another reward for her efforts.
During her time volunteering with ACE, Queena was responsible for coordinating her fellow students at Cardiff Sixth Form College who were giving their time to volunteer at The Learning Club, our out-of-school learning provision in Cardiff that aims to raise the confidence and enjoyment of learning of local children. As well as supporting children at the sessions herself, she would ensure that students were available for our weekly sessions and able to get to and from the sessions easily.
Though she has had to end her volunteering at ACE to pursue her studies in London, she is continuing to volunteer and squeeze in an amazing number of roles around a heavy university workload.
We are delighted for Queena to receive this award and hope that she continues to be recognised for the difference she is making as well as the inspiration she is providing to others to get involved in the valuable world of volunteering.
We are very pleased to have recently been joined by new employee and Manager of The Learning Club, Saeed Ebrahim, who is joining us to help ensure that TLC sessions are running smoothly and continue to be beneficial to the children attending them each week.
Saeed is a friend of the charity, having run a small learning session of his own last year which some of the ACE volunteers attended, as well as being an active member of the local Butetown community in which we run learning sessions each week. He will bring valuable skills to the project having a youth work background and from experience from his role as the Cardiff Council Community Education Officer.
Saeed says that “[he’s] looking forward to the challenge of helping the development of young people involved in the project”.
We are delighted to have this addition to the team (and a bit of extra company in the office!), and excited about the continued growth of ACE Cardiff in supporting the education of young people.