When Linda Jones started volunteering with us Gareth Gates topped the charts and an average house in Wales would set you back £78,000.

Now, more than 20 years later, Linda is still donating her precious time to us and recently received a special award to mark her incredible length of service.

Starting with us just two years after the Charity was launched, Linda was still working as a receptionist in a high school at the time.

Now 74, the stalwart of our volunteering family is still to be found helping out around her hometown of Corwen.

Linda’s volunteering journey with Wales Air Ambulance began when she spotted a chance column in the Liverpool Daily Post. A ‘volunteers wanted’ article sparked Linda’s interest and she applied to join the team.

At first Linda gave talks to various groups, but recently she has mostly picked up collection boxes in her area.

She explained why she has devoted so much of her time to her role: “It’s just a fantastic charity. If I can be of any help I will volunteer.”

Now a mother and grandmother to six children, Linda shows no signs of slowing down.

She added: “I am a very active person and don’t like to not be doing anything. I’m also a member of the Women’s Institute (WI).

“We need the charity in Wales. It’s so rural everywhere. I always watch the programmes on the telly about air ambulances – and I was thrilled to see the new helicopter at the volunteer conference.”

Linda is very modest about her remarkable achievement. But, in a world where most people don’t stay in a paid job for more than four years, we think she’s a volunteering gem.

 

How prices have changed in 20 years:

                        2003                                         2023

Petrol               £0.75                                        £1.53

Av. salary         £18,200                                    £32,371

Beer                 £2.29                                        £4.58

Pint of milk       £0.37                                        £0.70

Loaf of bread    £0.62                                       £1.37