Jacqueline Conlon

Jacqueline came to volunteering in 2016 when she took to giving her time along with other parents in her son’s school. They kindly hosted different activities in the school library at lunchtime. In 2018 she was asked to volunteer for two hours per week in her local Church’s shop which she happily did.  

In October 2022, Jacqueline came across Louth Community Volunteers which is run by Louth Volunteer Centre. She first volunteered as a Community Volunteer as part of Drogheda’s first and very successful Lu festival in 2022. She is now embarking on her seventh event as a Community Volunteer.  

Having previously done regular volunteering Jacqueline is enjoying the nature of Community Volunteering which is once off events. ‘Where I’m at now I prefer the once off events. I like the Community Volunteers because you get to mix with other people, meet people from different nationalities and it’s good fun, you can have great craic with people.  

Jacqueline spoke of the personal benefit volunteering has brought to her life. “I wouldn’t be great for talking. As you get to know the different people you get more interaction with people. It was just a great thing after Covid as it got people mixing and seeing them back out into the community again.’  

When I asked Jacqueline about any stand-out or favourite moments while volunteering her eyes lit up and she instantly responded “The Lu Festival in 2022!” She described her joy “seeing the reaction of the children and the parents to the lights, seeing the families together and older people out and about, everybody enjoying themselves.”

For those considering volunteering Jacqueline encourages people to “Just give it a go! and pop in and have a word with them in Bolton St” (the staff in Louth Volunteer Centre’s Drogheda office).

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