Q&A Spotlight - Suzie Branch

Suzie Branch is Client Services Director at BHMG Marketing 

Who / what is your inspiration? 

My answer is probably the same that everyone gives - my inspiration really is to give something back. Throughout the whole of my school and university education I was taught how important it is to society as a whole to try wherever possible to give up some of our own time to help others and I think that’s just stuck with me throughout my life. 

What prompted you to get involved in volunteering? 

I have always been involved in volunteering in some way from my school days and it has now just stayed with me. I think once you become involved in volunteering it just becomes part of your life and even if you find yourself moving away to a new town or city it tends to be something that you seek out straight away as it is just part of your life. 

Which / what type of organisation are you involved in? 

I am involved in several of volunteering roles including: 

•  Helping raise funds for Elmhurst School of Dance in Birmingham

•  A member of St Basils North Worcestershire Development Committee

•  A member of the Birmingham Future Community Development Committee

•  Mentoring at Moreton Hall School in Shropshire 

•  Acting as a “tutor” for Business Days at Malvern St James School

•  Acting as a mentor as part of the Birmingham Future and Birmingham City University scheme


What's the best thing about volunteering? 

The buzz and friendships! 

There is a real buzz from knowing that you can use one of your skills to really help others in your own way. Secondly the friendships that you forge and the people that you meet become so special – sometimes I can have had a really bad day at work and be all worked up and full of stress - then I go off to a volunteering activity and within half an hour usually find myself laughing, the stress goes away and in fact I come away from volunteering looking at problems I may be trying to tackle at work in a completely new light.

Who have you met while volunteering? 

I’ve made so many new friends and for that I feel so lucky! Last December at one fundraising event I was privileged enough to meet HRH The Duchess of Cornwall and Alan Titchmarsh!

What project are you working on at the moment / would like to highlight? 

The St Basils Cotswold Challenge walk is taking place on Saturday June 5th – an excellent way to keep fit, see some of Britain’s beautiful countryside , raise money for charity and network http://www.stbasils.org.uk/fundraising/events/walk

If you would like to find out more how you could help with the Elmhurst School of Dance Endowment Fund please just contact me.

Why should others get involved?

Many people would give anything to have the opportunity to play a role where they can really have an input in changing and improving the society therefore we should take every opportunity we are given to give something back, grasp it with both hands and throw ourselves into it. 

And finally in the words of Winston Churchill: “You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.”

If you are interested in getting involved with any other these initiatives, please contact me on: suzie@hmgmarketing.co.uk 

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