1 June 2026 Blog
By Daren Nathan, co-group leader at the East London Group
To mark Volunteers’ Week from 1 to 7 June, Daren shares why he volunteers for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, and how ‘every day matters’ drives him on in his fundraising for our community
My grandma died of MND in 1980 and I still remember those moments clearly. I watched a matriarch of our family deteriorate in body but not in mind. She lost mobility, but she understood everything around her - and in spite of it all, she made us laugh.
A couple of years ago, my uncle was also diagnosed with MND. I was only a child when my grandma died, but when my uncle was diagnosed, it felt like a real call to action. I had the time to give and I knew I had to do something.
I approached the MND Association and was offered a role at the East London Group - I took it with open arms.
Volunteering has been incredibly inspiring. Through group coffee mornings and Association-led events, I’ve met people who have been involved for decades, and that sense of shared commitment is powerful. The coffee mornings are well attended and it seems so comforting for the families we are supporting that it reinforces how we make every moment matter.
At the same time, it can be emotionally challenging. Every time I meet someone in the community, I’m reminded of my uncle and how MND continues to affect him.
"I knew we could do something special"
I’d done some fundraising for different organisations in the past, but given my personal experience with MND, supporting the Association felt like a natural choice. When my employer - property specialist London Square - backed me to organise a fundraising event, I knew we could do something special.
I decided to take on a challenge that people knew I’d find tough. I mapped a route around the M25, starting at our Twickenham Square development, covering 170 miles in a single day. It was a huge challenge, but one that felt worthwhile — and together we raised over £11,000 for the Association. It was also a real honour to be part of the Association’s team of volunteers and staff at the Telegraph’s annual Christmas Charity Appeal phone-in last year.
"I'm blown away by everything volunteers do"
For me, ‘every day matters’ because there is still no cure for MND. What we can do is help ensure that every day counts - giving families time to be together and creating the best possible quality of life. Every day is an opportunity to do something meaningful for people affected by the disease.
I'm blown away by everything volunteers do. What has surprised me especially is a few who don't have a previous connection to the disease and just want to help those with MND.
If you’re thinking about becoming a volunteer, the support and shared purpose within the Association really does make a difference. I couldn’t do my role without the help and support of the Association’s Community Support Co-ordinator, Angela (Richards). Having someone to ask questions to and help put everything we do together is nothing short of amazing.
Volunteering is a chance to contribute in a meaningful way and to help make every day count for our community.