This month, we also caught up with Sarah Davis, who volunteers as the Finance and Administrative Officer at EduSpots. She was nominated for the June edition of our Catalyst of the Month award, alongside Solomon Lartey.
Sarah is based in Orpington in England and has three (adult) children. She works in Finance and Human Resources at the research centre LSE Cities under the London School of Economics.
Sarah plays an instrumental role behind the scenes at EduSpots. We talked to her to find out more about the range of activities it takes to keep our organisation running, and to get a different perspective on volunteering at EduSpots! Sarah explains that she looks after all the transactions of EduSpots given that it is a registered charity in the UK. She is responsible for preparing quarterly and annual financial statements, as well as coordinating audits with independent examiners.
However for her, one of her favourite aspects of working with EduSpots has been the “inspiring individuals” she crosses paths with, such as with Katie (our Head of Development) as well as Cat (our C.E.O.), as she recalls being struck by just how “lovely and passionate” they were. Also in attending various strategy meetings, where she is able to get a bigger picture, she emphasises how inspiring and assuring it is to see that the work of EduSpots “makes such a difference”.
As indicated by her involvement with EduSpots, Sarah is someone who enjoys volunteering: she has been the chair of her local National Childbirth Trust branch, the chair of the PTA at her children’s school, and the treasurer of her local running club. When asked about what volunteering means to her, she gave a simple but effective answer — that it is about “helping out”, “being part of a team and achieving something good together”. She articulates the social aspect of volunteering, and this really touches on its value and potential. According to her, while volunteering outwardly builds a stronger community and drives positive change, it also inwardly benefits individuals by deepening their sense of belonging and offering profound emotional rewards.
Outside of her already busy schedule of work and volunteering, Sarah shares with us some of her hobbies — running and tap-dancing, both of which carry meaning for her. She has run in various races, but a particularly emotional one was the 2022 London Marathon, as she ran in memory of a friend she lost to brain cancer. She recalled training over the hot summer and eventually running on the day with other friends — the companionship was also what made the experience meaningful. Even in her hobbies, Sarah always puts herself out there, and values the social connections created. She picked up tap dancing as an adult, enjoying her “weekly friendly local class”, and has even done two shows since!
Summarising her experiences, getting to know different people and joining the company of others is a common thread. Individuals like Sarah, who are both wonderful and inspiring, are essential pillars supporting EduSpots and our volunteer initiatives. Her hope for EduSpots’ future is that it will continue to “go from strength to strength”, and grow into “more Spots, more countries”!