Action for Children tribute to a wonderful Swansea volunteer

Action for Children has paid tribute to Derrick Howells, a longstanding volunteer with the Swansea Stepping Stones Children’s Centre for over 19 years, who sadly died recently at the age of 80.

Derrick retired from the Stepping Stones service that helps and supports Swansea families when he turned 80 last October. Until retirement, he had been the project’s handyman helping with many different tasks including gardening, tiling, minor plumbing jobs, carpentry work, bringing children to and from the centre and tidying the play room at the end of sessions.

Shankari Sivakumaran, Action for Children’s Service Co-ordinator at Stepping Stones, said: ‘Derrick cheerfully turned his hand to anything that was needed at Stepping Stones – from gardening to tiling to cleaning the overflowing guttering – there were few jobs that could defeat him but aside from his many skills it was his dedication to helping children and their families that shone out.

‘Along with his wife, Liz, herself a volunteer at the service for over 20 years, they selflessly gave of their time to help those children and families in our community who need it most. He will be sorely missed and our heartfelt condolences go to Liz and all the family.’

Brigitte Gater, Action for Children’s National Director Wales, added: ‘I was very sad to hear the news that Derrick had passed away. Volunteers are the glue that holds our organisation together and offer vital support to our services in Swansea and across Wales. Their value to Action for Children is huge and no one symbolises that better than Derrick and Liz with 40 years of dedicated volunteering between them.

‘We are extremely grateful for all this wonderful couple did for Stepping Stones and our sympathies remain with Liz and family at this difficult time.’