National Volunteers’ Week 2021
Peter Hennessey

Volunteering at EHAAT – Peter Hennessey

• Volunteering since June 2008
• Airbase tour host
• Gives talks about the charity including via Zoom
• Mans merchandise and information stands

My name is Peter Hennessey and I have been a volunteer for EHAAT for 12 years. Over that time, I have witnessed the Charity growing into the major organisation that it now is.

I initially became involved with the Charity as a result of meeting the crew at incidents when I was a Volunteer First Responder. I realised that the high level of skills which they brought to incidents only happened as a result of supporters across Essex and Hertfordshire sticking their hands in their pockets! I initially helped out with odd jobs within the office at Earls Colne and progressed to helping out at events of all shapes and sizes and then giving talks and hosting tours around the airbase. Memorably I took part in a TV programme with some of the charity staff and crew. Interestingly the programme only lasted for one series!

The most interesting part of my role are airbase tours, as they give me a great opportunity to catch up with the crews directly. I’m also very keen to see the new visitor centre at North Weald.

The key to all of the volunteering I do is the opportunity to meet with the members of the public from all ages and backgrounds who support the charity for many different reasons. I have also had the opportunity to meet with a large number of dedicated volunteers who are giving that most precious gift – their free time.

During the last year – certainly the strangest year ever, I have managed to do some jobs to help out including leaflet delivering, home based research for the fundraising team and several Zoom calls which I believe are going to be our main contact with supporters for many months yet. I have also continued to support the Forum Team in their important task of further improving and maintaining volunteer involvement with the organisation. This is going to be a key area as all of us on the volunteer team get back to work. I am really looking forward to the opportunity to once again be involved in the many varied events which the charity normally gets involved in.

Roll on the end of lockdown……

Peter