Testimonials

Rebecca’s Story from Vinery visitor to Volunteer

When the pandemic hit, I was 18 and had left school. I felt so isolated and began to feel very low and down. I couldn’t go anywhere for such a long time. I had my Gamers Group and we met online, but that was only once a week. My mum became very worried about me being shut in. As restrictions lifted it was great to see the Gamers Group again, but there were still restrictions at the Sports Centre where we met. It was very difficult, so when I was told about a Gamers Course, I was very interested. I didn’t want to have to travel to Aberdeen, so I was so pleased when I heard it was right here in Banff. This is when I started my time at The Vinery. As I got to know the staff and gardens better, I wanted to spend more and more time there. I asked about becoming a volunteer. This was the best decision I ever made. I came and helped in the gardens and got all the volunteer paperwork completed. At the same time our Gamers Course needed to be relocated and the Vinery welcomed us with open arms, since they stay open in the evenings for Community Groups.

In the New Year we started our group on a Tuesday evening here at The Vinery and we are still here. Our group has grown and we are all very happy we have a wonderful safe place to meet and enjoy our Tuesday evenings. We have space in the gardens for lightsaber practice and have so much freedom to be ourselves. The Vinery is also dog friendly which is very important to one of our gamers, as they have a service dog.  

I love being a volunteer at The Vinery, we have a great team! I have learnt many new skills and I’m always trying new things. I would’ve never believed I would now be on a 12-week Employability Course! But with my newfound confidence, I am gaining qualifications, skills and knowledge on the REACH course.  

The Vinery is my second home. I love getting up in a morning and coming to The Vinery. I don’t know what I would have done without The Vinery, the team are amazing. I’m so grateful.

Nancy’s Story

In May of 2023, I walked in the front door of The Vinery (and was hit by a wave of people, cooking smells, noise).  For me it had been a very long winter due to ill health and I knew that something needed to change, but I wasn’t sure what or where to begin.  Walking through the front door was perhaps the hardest part and in the last five months, I have gone from barely leaving the house to accepting full-time employment at the Vinery itself. 

The staff were supportive of every part of the journey.  To begin, I wanted to have a project to get involved in and like-minded people to spend time with.  This wasn’t a conscious ‘I need to get a job’ mindset.  I was too unwell to even begin to consider employment, and with that my self-esteem was rock bottom.  I started by having a chat with Clare and being introduced to Michelle, as my interests lay in gardening and being outdoors.  I remember my first day at the Vinery very clearly.  After a long time of isolation, I was suddenly in an environment where there were lots of people, a shared lunch of soup, and jobs to do that I could get on with if things became a little intense.  Soon after, I was introduced to Debbie, had my first Reiki session and gradually started joining group walks.  And then I was supported to start delivering my own sessions – giving back to the community in the way I could. 

And that, I think is key: there is so much on offer at the Vinery but it really becomes what you make of it.  If you like gardening, cooking, arts, crafts then it is possible to spend time doing those things.  But more importantly, it builds self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-awareness through interaction with the supportive staff and fellow volunteers.