Leonie Brown - volunteer 20 years

National Volunteer Week 18 – 24 May 2020

National Volunteer Week (NVW) is the annual celebration to acknowledge the generous contribution of our nation’s volunteers.

The theme for National Volunteer Week 2020 is 'Changing Communities. Changing Lives'.

Leonie Brown has clocked up 20 years as a volunteer at Pepper Street Arts Centre. “I have always been interested in art and craft,” she says. “I was on maternity leave after my daughter was born. I saw an advert and I had a bit of time so I applied.”

Leonie says the centre was a lot smaller then and she helped out in the gallery, on reception and in the coffee shop, making coffees. “I did a regular fortnightly shift but it was a bit too much with my work as well. Now I just fill in on a roster as I live just around the corner.”

Leonie’s interest is in card making but she has not displayed anything in Pepper Street. “I am turning 59 in a few weeks and would love to make my card business more profitable but for now I still need to work to pay the mortgage.”

Leonie says the 20 years has flown by and she intends to keep on volunteering when she can.