Alumni volunteers have played a huge role over the course of the 2025/2026 academic year and their impact was celebrated when local volunteers were invited to join us at an Alumni Volunteer Thank You event on Monday 1^st of June on campus as part of National Volunteers’ Week. Alumni Volunteer Officer Jill Smithson welcomed guests at the Arts Café in Middleton Hall on campus for an informal social evening at which Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Kevin Kerrigan offered his thanks on behalf of the University of Hull and handed out certificates to two volunteers who had reached 50 and 150 hours of volunteering respectively.

In the relaxed setting of the Arts Café, guests arrived and socialised in a welcoming, friendly atmosphere before Kevin’s official welcome. Jill then took the reins for a fun quiz that covered famous alumni, interesting Hull facts and famous volunteers. There was also a music round with clips of artists that have played on campus. Team Kodak Eastman took the plaudits with the highest score and were rewarded with a prize of Miniature Heroes.

This was the first ever Alumni Volunteer Thank You event, but it won’t be the last. With more and more alumni getting involved in volunteering, and the impact growing, this was a great time to launch what will be an annual occasion. Over 2,300 students had contact with a graduate this year, whether a mentor or a guest speaker offering advice, insights and support. The Centenary Archives Photo Project (CAPP) has also seen over 2,000 images digitised as part of a project to make our photographic history accessible to the public. 

Volunteering, though, hasn’t only impacted those who have received support. Those giving their time, sharing their expertise and knowledge, and playing a role in our community were also quick to point out the benefits they received from being volunteers at the University of Hull.

‘Even though I graduated more than twenty years ago, I still feel very close to the University of Hull,’ said Rich Sutherland (BA History, 2003), a CAPP volunteer and a Career Mentor. ‘Volunteering has strengthened this connection even further and enabled me to give back to my community.’

Pete Riches, another Career Mentor, added: ‘My involvement on the Career Mentoring Programme allows me to share some of the knowledge and experience I have gained over my many years in the education profession. Further to this, it has connected me with other mentors with whom I can compare ideas and reflect on my own development as I seek to keep abreast of modern ideas and initiatives.’

We are so grateful to our volunteers for all that they have done to help us build a supportive, caring and giving community at the University of Hull. You have all made such a positive contribution and we look forward to continuing to celebrate your achievements in this way in future years. Look out for our next volunteer social at Christmas, for the chance to meet other volunteers and some of the students you have supported.

“It was a pleasure and joy to bring together our locally based alumni volunteers to recognise and celebrate the significant contribution they make to our University of Hull community,” said Jill. “As part of National Volunteers’ Week, this event provided an important opportunity to acknowledge their commitment, dedication and ongoing support. Volunteering is a choice and we are so grateful that they choose to give back to our community. For me personally I feel incredibly lucky to work with so many amazing alumni.”

Want to volunteer with us? Find out more here: https://www.hull.ac.uk/alumni/give-to-hull/volunteer