Stories from the Edge - Volunteer Now

More documents

Recommendations

Info

“It’s an excuseto play radios”Gordon Bannister, holds down a day job but can clock up dozens of hours in the evenings andeach weekend as a volunteer. He knows what it is to work unsocial hours. Gordon is anelectronic whiz kid who has a job with the BBC. This means that his shift work varies a lot. Headmits going into work on a Friday evening can be a real pain. But he is quick to point out thepositive, that his working time allows him the space for volunteering. Gordon, with the help of several dozen others is partof a unique organisation who use radios to talk to each other. He admits, “It's an excuse to play radios.” His enthusiasm issimilar to the way youngsters use two cans connected by apiece of cord.Gordon BannisterHe is the local co-ordinator for Belfast and Down branch ofRAYNET which is an acronym for Radio Amateurs EmergencyNetwork. There are four active RAYNET groups in the Northwith about 60 members. Gordon volunteers as a secondarycommunications operator. Twenty years ago Gordon wasintroduced to other hams who were helping first aid peopleprovide emergency cover at sporting and social events. His jobis to provide back up in the form of communication to theemergency services at numerous events from car rallying to thegruelling Mourne Mountain Marathon.“it is a highlyskilled role”Car rallies would be impossible without proper communications. Someone has to count the high powered vehicles out andback in again at the numerous check points. Gordon and RAYNET set up a radio communication network with a controllerand others posted to various parts of the rally or motor biking circuit like the North West 200. RAYNET is in constantdemand by First Aid groups and sports organisers. They are capable of keeping an electronic eye and ear on events andallow the organisers to decide on the proper course of action if anything should happen.
It’s an excuse to play radios - Gordon Bannister
Page 2: Martin O’Hagan1950 - 2001This boo
Page 7 and 8: on the same level as the coverage o
Page 9 and 10: There were many others. A group of
Page 11 and 12: I love people seeing me as a person
Page 13 and 14: harsh conditions. Towards the end o
Page 15 and 16: Despite being a Paralympic champion
Page 17 and 18: “I love collecting. I lovemeeting
Page 19: There is no doubt that in the last
Page 23 and 24: established and the walker was guid
Page 25 and 26: Hugh Campbell“the payback isthat
Page 27 and 28: By 1979 Hugh Campbell’s volunteer
Page 29 and 30: The second ceasefire was called and
Page 31 and 32: Never do anyone a bad turn and help
Page 33 and 34: quick to give assurances to those w
Page 35 and 36: and was helping to take care of the
Page 37 and 38: “Something had tobe done”Amind
Page 39 and 40: The woman who had lost out so much
Page 41 and 42: A new and interesting adventure - L
Page 43 and 44: local tea houses and meeting other
Page 45 and 46: “A place of enormouscontradiction
Page 47 and 48: Martie Rafferty was one of those wh
Page 49 and 50: A Traveller on the inside talking a
Page 51 and 52: section of Ireland’s population m
Page 53 and 54: on the news bulletins. Most weekend
Page 55 and 56: “ Play is also learning ”Austin
Page 57 and 58: She has worked in the bank for the
Page 59 and 60: A people and a nation can be judged
Page 61 and 62: "Now that it is past its best it is
Page 63 and 64: continuum. The other end is the ugl
Page 65 and 66: “One man’s weed isanother man
Page 67 and 68: efforts have caused a huge rise in
Page 69 and 70: It’s not just local companies, Co
Page 71 and 72:
We are getting something out of thi
Page 73 and 74:
Before long, the group had agreed o
Page 75 and 76:
“ People helping people ”Jerome
Page 77 and 78:
quick to reject any form of ‘ism
Page 79 and 80:
Through volunteer work an individua
Page 81 and 82:
some it looked as if the Time was N
Page 84:
Tel: 028 9023 6100 Fax: 028 9023 75
show all

Stories from the Edge - Volunteer Now

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?