Honouring PACE Volunteers

Receivers of The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award in the country volunteers can get acknowledging their priceless contribution towards making society a better, fairer place.

“ PACE (or the Saturday Club as it was known then) began in 2004 with 11 members and five volunteers. Its aim was based on what young disabled people and their families wanted, an environment where members, disabled and non-disabled, could socialize with their peers, have fun, do activities in a way that made them feel they were actively participating and which would indirectly improve their physical, social and communication skills.

Within a year, I had a look at the May 2005 register, we had 28 members and ten volunteers. As the club grew, so did the range of sports we were able to offer our members, from sailing, wheelchair basketball, ice-skating, floor lacrosse, dodgeball, tabletop games, football, cricket, martial arts, and a whole lot more including, of course what was to become our key sport, Boccia. Our members experienced activities they would not have been able to do so before.

Eighteen months later, we received our first awards, Volunteer of the Year and Club of the Year from the London Sports Forum for Disabled People. “

“ As the club mushroomed, the development of inhouse teams, namely the Reds and the Blues, created a competitive streak amongst our members. This competitive streak ignited us to further challenge our members and they began to develop their skills to compete in boccia competitions at regional level. Boccia is the only Paralympic sport for athletes with a neurological condition. Over fifteen years later, we have had over 20 athletes compete at regional level, ten of whom have qualified to compete at National Level and two competed at international level. Between them, our boccia athletes have won medals at regional, national and international level. One of our boccia squads have been National Boccia Champions, members have attended accredited courses and qualified as coaches, referees, found employment in the community, developed their confidence and life skills to the extent that they live independently, developed their communication skills, and overall feel empowered to take some control of decisions affecting their lives.
Every single success that PACE, and its members have had is because of our very special gems, our volunteers, who have sparkled with empathy, compassion, and a sense of creating a fairer society where everyone is valued, making people who have been marginalized, judged, intimidated and isolated feel they have a worth and can achieve a better life. These gems, my PACE volunteers, are the shiniest sparklers you will ever see. They will never break and will always find solutions to overcome any obstacle that may prevent the creation of a level playing field.

I am overwhelmed to say that in the last 17 years, we have had over 186 volunteers and 19 Team Leaders, who have guided more than 9,000 people to a better quality of life. If I were to begin giving examples of the difference your support has made to people’s lives and their families, I would probably be here until next week at least. But I will mention something, I will never forget the delight on a parent’s face when she told me her teenage son had said ‘mum’ for the first time or another member who began coming to PACE by holding his mum’s hand, declaring he can now travel across London using public transport on his own. And then of course not to mention the hundreds of medals our athletes have won at regional, national and international level. The friendships made and the emotional ties that bind us is what gives this club the strength to continue, even in times of darkness.

The last 18 months has seen the world come to a standstill, COVID 19 has made sure everyone has experienced the isolation, the feeling of helplessness, being at the mercy of something beyond our control, everyone has had to do the best with what they had whilst being locked in, going out only for necessities, feeling scared even to touch someone. The dependency on friends and neighbours highlighted how much we all rely on each other to survive. However, these feelings and situations are nothing new, the emotions we felt being locked in have been felt by many disabled people and their families for many years.

The development of our online services during this period have been a lifeline to many of our members. I am so proud of you all, the way you have made sure our members do not get stuck in a rut during this most difficult time which is actually quite normal, whatever normal is, for them.
You all deserve this recognition, by the Queen, and also the Additional Special recognition for supporting those sections of the community who were in danger of being plunged into further darkness. You, my beautiful volunteers, are a guiding light, showing us all, what a better life we all can have, if we just give people a little of our time.

Thank you to you all for everything you have done for PACE and its beneficiaries.“

Krishna Birdy