David Turton, Pat Robinson and Kimberly Bregg all agreed being able to put clients at ease during what is a tough time was a true highlight of volunteering for Victim Support and Witness Service.
The charity supports people affected by crime, whether they are victims, witnesses, or family members trying to help, by offering emotional and practical support, whether it be by showing them around the courtroom ahead of the court date or simply just listening.
‘We could not operate without volunteers.
‘We depend entirely on them,’ said deputy manager Philomena Haddon.
‘The patience and tolerance they have is amazing, and it’s a huge sacrifice.’
Pat got involved with Victim Support after retiring.
‘I have always had an interest in helping people in difficult situations,’ she said. ‘I think it’s useful for the clients to have us involved so they don’t feel overwhelmed.’
She has been volunteering with Victim Support for 18 months.
David also got involved once he had retired five years ago.
‘It was always something I was interested in, probably since I was still in full-time work,’ he said.
‘It’s been great knowing that hopefully you are putting someone’s mind at ease, as it can be a terrifying experience.’
Kimberly got involved due to an interest in the justice system.
‘I have a degree in criminal justice, and I have been through some personal things and support like this would have been really helpful at that time,’ she said.
‘I always thought that if I ever had time to volunteer it would be for this specific charity – it’s been a great opportunity.’
A particular interest for Kimberly is restorative justice, having studied in Canada, and when she moved to the UK she was shocked that it was a voluntary process, so she got involved in Victim Support to help with that work.
Volunteers spend a lot of their time meeting with victims and witnesses and building a rapport with them.
‘We know nothing about the case when we meet them, and everything is confidential,’ said Pat.
They can sit in court with clients.
‘The perpetrator is often very close to them and it is not going to take away the knowledge that that person is listening, so we can be there to comfort them when things are getting difficult,’ said Kimberly.
‘If it wasn’t for services like this, people would not be as empowered to report crime.’
Volunteers don’t just support in criminal court, but other cases too.
‘We support in family court and in that kind of thing it is nice to have someone there supporting,’ said David.
When it comes to witnesses, the charity offers the exact same support for witnesses for both prosecution and defence.
The three volunteers said seeing the difference their work makes is the most rewarding part of the job.
‘There was a young man I was with in court and he said that with me being there it gave him the confidence to speak better in court, which is great to hear,’ said David.
Victim Support and Witness Service does not require volunteers to commit to a fixed number of hours, allowing them to offer as much or as little time as they can.
‘The staff are all very supportive of us,’ said Pat.
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