Ann’s Story
April 10, 2025
When I’m gone, my support will live on…
GWAAC volunteer Janet knows how important community support is – for our work today, and for tomorrow. She wants to know that the charity she loves will still be here for many years to come.
"My mum loved GWAAC long before I did! When she passed away in 2015, she nominated them as one of the charities for her funeral collection – and that was when my own journey with GWAAC began. I’ll admit I knew hardly anything about the charity before then – fast forward to today, and I think I know almost everything there is to know!
A year after my mum’s funeral, I was looking for a local volunteering opportunity and saw that GWAAC were looking for people to help at a local event. I applied and was accepted, and I’ve been volunteering ever since. It’s a varied role – one day I can be standing at an event talking to the public, the next I can be taking part in a photoshoot with the crew! I love it all. I’ve made friends with other volunteers, I’ve done some amazing things (raising money by trekking the Great Wall of China stands out as an incredible, if challenging, highlight!) and everyone I have met at GWAAC has been lovely and friendly.
Over the years I’ve seen some big changes – the most important of which was the move to the Almondsbury airbase. It was a huge improvement and very much needed but, like everything the charity does, it relied completely on fundraising.
That’s part of the reason I’ve included GWAAC in my Will. When I needed to update my Will it seemed obvious to me that, as a volunteer and supporter, I should include the charity. I know the money is for a good cause, I know it will be used well, and I know it will make a difference. It can help the charity plan for the big changes of the future.
It was a very simple thing to do. I had a note of the charity name and number and I provided that to the solicitor, along with the rest of my instructions. And that was it!
It feels great to follow in mum’s footsteps, supporting a charity that was special to her too. My gift will help GWAAC continue the excellent work they do, developing and improving the service they provide in the years ahead. One day that gift will help ensure someone receives lifesaving care from the crew, or encourage someone else like me start their own journey with the charity.
For now, I’m looking forward to enjoying lots more volunteering!"
