Volunteer Spotlight - August 2024 - Janice Mason

The group was formed earlier this year and Janice, who has lived with type 1 diabetes for 56 years, set up the group after she realised that people in her community needed a space to talk freely about life with diabetes.

How did the group start?

Janice has been involved in volunteering for many years and enjoys being involved in her local community. She said:

“It’s just been my passion, all my life. Whatever work I was doing, even when I was working full time, I didn't even think of not being involved in the community because that's just what I did”.

Janice was previously organising and running local craft sessions when she realised there was a need for a diabetes specific support group. She said:

“Some of the members had diabetes and we naturally talked about it, which showed me that people just needed to talk about diabetes."  

‘Carbs at the Kettle’ was formed, and the group now run monthly meetings alongside other community events.

Why Diabetes UK?

Janice was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1968 and her mother joined Diabetes UK as a member, then known as the British Diabetics Association, to help them navigate Janice’s diagnosis.

Janice said her mother received a lot of support and when it came to Janice wanting to help others with the condition, it was “a natural choice to volunteer for Diabetes UK because I know that the organisation’s resources would really enhance whatever I did locally”.

Highlights

The group has been running since January and has already put a mark on the map for diabetes in the local area. Janice is proud that she’s got the group up and running and has seen firsthand that when people come together, they can use their skills and passions to support each other and the wider community.

One of the main volunteering highlights for Janice was holding a ‘diabetes day’ at the Community Kettle, which was a multi-organisational event attended by local healthcare professionals as well as people living with and affected by the condition.
 

What’s next for the group?

Janice plans to grow the group though promotion and getting the word out about the support they offer. She said: “We’re still quite a new group and we’re really trying to market it out in the community. We get a handful of people at each meeting, and different people come along all the time as well as our regular members.”.

Janice’s next focus is organising a second ‘diabetes day’ event at the Community Kettle, later this year. She plans to host more healthcare professionals and service providers to reach and support even more local people affected by diabetes.

If you have been inspired by Janice’s story, check out our volunteering opportunities.