A SUPER mum who has five children and studied for a degree while also holding down a job is now an award-winning volunteer.

Inspirational Greenock woman Jennifer Piggot has given up her own time to act as a Barnardo’s befriender for more than two years.

She has worked closely with a nine-year-old boy and mentored a young mum.

Psychology graduate Jennifer has juggled her busy life to somehow find spare hours in the day to help the charity’s Nurture service.

Jennifer, 33, said: “I have absolutely loved volunteering with Barnardo’s.

“You can see for yourself that it can make a real difference.

“It is only sacrificing a few hours of your time. I think more people should do it.

“I learned so much about myself.”

Jennifer, who is currently taking a break from studying for a masters to work with young people as part of a crime prevention project, says volunteering helped shape her own future.

She said: “I now work somewhere where I am using the skills I learned with Barnardo’s.”

Barnardos volunteer co-ordinator Hannah Burns nominated Jennifer for the Marsh Trust’s outstanding contribution to volunteering award.

She said: “We just couldn’t help families if it wasn’t for our volunteers and Jennifer is amazing. She deserves this so much.

“The difference Jennifer has made is best described by the wee boy she befriended.

“When it was time to move on he said that he would miss Jennifer but knew that other people needed her help more than him.

“She always goes above and beyond for the young people and families she supports.”

Jennifer spent time taking the youngster on trips out, going skateboarding and trying other activities.

She added: “It was great watching him grow in confidence.

“Then I mentored a young mum as well, that was more about supporting her.”

Jennifer, who recently took part in an abseil to raise funds and awareness of Barnardo’s, says she used her own experience as mum to her stepsons Lewis, 18, Adam, 16, and her three younger sons Josh, eight, Aivan, four, and daughter Isla-Grace, three, to help the families she worked with.

She lives with her family and husband Chris, 45, in Greenock’s Old Inverkip Road and had worked full time with the procurator fiscal’s office before deciding to take the plunge and go part-time to study, embarking on a psychology degree at the West of Scotland University.

She said: “It was something I always wanted to do, work with children and young people.

“But I realised when I was doing the degree that there were no work placements so I looked about for volunteering opportunities and came across Barnardo’s.”

Jennifer is delighted with her ‘Highly Commended’ certificate and very modest about how she manages to fit everything in around her hectic routine.

She added: “I think I’m just highly motivated.

“It is the way I am.

“When I commit to something, I commit 100 per cent. 

“The degree was tough-going.
“There were a lot of sleepless nights but I got there.”

Barnardo’s Nurturing Service helps around 200 families.

They provide vital support and work in schools too.

If anyone would like to volunteer with Barnardo’s or wants more information about the service they can call Hannah Burns on 01475 728493 or email hannah.burns@barnardos.org.uk