Vodafone pay wages for part-time vols to go full-time for two months

A COUPLE of caring volunteers who regularly give up their time for free have won paid placements at their favourite charities.

Andrew Parker, of Donaldson Road, and Tessa Buchanan, of Iverson Road, both from Kilburn, convinced Vodafone they were worthy participants on its World of Difference programme.

The programme pays winners �2,500 for a two month internship at a charity of their choice.

Mr Parker, 24, who has been volunteering at architectural charity, Archive, for the past year chose to work fulltime on its community project in Brent, the Happy Helpy Household partnership.

Archive works towards reducing TB through improved architecture and planning.

He said: “It was a nice surprise to win it; I’m really looking forward to engaging with the community.

“We are focusing on Wembley and Harlesden, two of the poorer wards in the borough. TB rates are higher in refugee and migrant communities because of the conditions they live in due to their socio-economic situation.”

Mr Parker, who starts the programme in March, said simply increasing ventilation by keeping windows and doors open can reduce TB by as much as 75 per cent.

Ms Buchanan, 22, who already volunteers at three different legal charities, has chosen the Hammersmith and Fulham Law Centre where she helps unaccompanied child asylum seekers.

She said: “I’m really, really pleased to have won it. It will be nice to get some paid work at last.”