We sat down to chat with Hyun Noh, a 2nd year BSc Human Genetics student, about her experience volunteering with the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity at the 2024 Walkie Talkie Tower Climb!
Would you be able to introduce yourself?
My name is Hyun and I'm currently in my second year studying BSc Human Genetics. This year I volunteered with the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, known as GOSH Charity, which supports seriously ill children and young people.I'm also a regular at the Student Union Volunteering social events. I was there for Christmas and the Easter socials as well as the pre-award gathering before the end of year award ceremony, and that was a lot of fun!
What type of volunteering have you been doing with GOSH?
I volunteered with GOSH at their Walkie Talkie Tower Climb fundraising event around mid-March this year, which was a vital fundraiser for seriously ill children and their families at Great Ormond Street Hospital. During the event, I served as the role of stair warden. My role involved assuring the safety and the wellbeing of the participants as they climbed up London's iconic Walkie Talkie Building, also known as the Sky Garden Building.
Over 500 participants registered for the event, aiming to raise money to support the hospital. As stair wardens, we had the important job of being the eyes and the ears of the stairways that people were climbing. We monitored the stairwells, cheered on the participants, and were the point of contact for any medical issues that arose during the climb. To prepare for the role, we were trained in emergency protocols to communicate any incidents to the medical teams on the site. Additionally, we were tasked with raising any health or safety concerns such as accidents or lost persons to the safety advisor.
Together as a team we successfully raise more than £130,000, with this amount still increasing after the event!
What attracted you to this opportunity?
GOSH Charity hosts numerous fundraising events throughout the year, including cycling, running, and seasonal events. With this organisation, volunteers have the flexibility of choosing events that fit around their schedule. We can choose to commit to a one-off event like the Walkie Talkie Tower Climb, or can also choose to participate more regularly depending on our schedule.
What was the highlight of your volunteering experience?
I'll say that one particular highlight of the experience was seeing the beautiful sunrise on my way to the event. We had to arrive at about 7:00 am for the training, so seeing the sunrise was truly inspiring and set a great tone for the day.
Another memorable moment was cheering on the participants during the Tower Climb. I was stationed on the 20th floor, which was slightly more than halfway through the climb. Being able to encourage and motivate the participants to finish the race was incredibly rewarding.
Were there any challenges that you encountered throughout your volunteering?
I would say the only challenge was that we had to be on site early in the morning for the training and the setup, but I think we forgot all the stress of the early morning commute when we saw the beautiful sunrise on our way! There was also so much support and positive energy from the volunteering team that kept us motivated and energetic throughout the day.
Would you recommend volunteering to other people?
Of course, I would definitely recommend volunteering! I think it's such a great opportunity to meet new people. It also makes you feel like you're a part of a greater community that supports a common goal, so it gives you a great sense of belonging.
Also, I would recommend other people to subscribe to the Volunteering Newsletter, which is where I found this opportunity. It's so easy to find new opportunities of all types, like one-off volunteering, regular volunteering, and Student-Led volunteering as well.
Lastly, speaking in terms of happiness and personal wellbeing, volunteering is such a great way of taking care of yourself. It allows us to connect with others and build meaningful interactions as a community. You also feel a sense of accomplishment from contributing to a good cause. I think it brings a lot of positive energy into your life!
Thank you to Hyun for sharing her volunteering experience! If you would like to volunteer at future events with the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, make sure to check out their current opportunities here.