Charlie Dawson spent three weeks volunteering at Open Arms, Blantyre, in July 2016.
The babies, toddlers and the foster children all enjoyed Charlie’s friendly nature, as he rolled up his sleeves and got stuck into all the day-to-day activities; from feeding tiny babies their porridge to playing games with toddlers; and from to tutoring the older children in maths to sorting out and organising the cupboards.
Being a trainee teacher, Charlie had the education and engagement of the children top of his mind, bringing with him a great selection of games, including a parachute game and swing ball, as well as teaching posters.
Charlie was joined by his mum, Lesley, and brother, Joe, for his final two days at Open Arms, and each of them got involved straightaway with feeding babies before visiting Rosemarie’s House.
The Dawsons have a personal connection to Rosemarie’s House, which started when Charlie’s brother first visited on a school expedition in 2009 and brought a walker for a very special girl named Edina. She loved her new wheels, which made it easier for her to get around with cerebral palsy. When Rosemarie’s House opened, Edina had a home and family to grow up with.
Since then, the Dawsons have remained long-time supporters of Open Arms. The brothers did a Tough Mudder run to raise funds for us. In fact Lesley, who runs Children’s Corner Nursery in Leeds, also supports Open Arms through their CSR strategy, with regular fundraising activities and donations, as well as providing specialist equipment for the homes where possible. Lesley arrived this year with such thoughtful gifts for everyone, including a bag of toiletries for every staff member, to show how much their work is appreciated.
We so enjoyed the Dawsons’ visit, and know that Charlie, in particular, will be missed by the children.
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