Lynne’s Gifting It Forward – A Tribute to Veterans

19 October 2026

By Lianne Young, Digital Engagement and Volunteering Officer

We’re delighted to share the story behind our latest Gift It Forward campaign.

Many of you will know Lynne Clarke from C1V, but you may not know about her wonderful dedication to the garden at our Civic Offices. Alongside her day job, Lynne generously gives up much of her own time to create and maintain this beautiful, tranquil space for everyone to enjoy.

Through Value in the Vale, Lynne receives rewards in recognition of the time she gives. However, in true Gift It Forward spirit, she chooses to pass these rewards on to others.

Over the last year, Lynne has been volunteering in the Civic Garden, building up her rewards through Value in the Vale with the aim of ‘Gifting It Forward’ and making a positive difference in her local community.

Following the success of last year’s gifting to Vale Domestic Abuse Services, Lynne wanted this year’s rewards to have a special personal meaning. She chose to gift them to the Barry Veterans Group, as a fitting tribute to her late father, Trevor.

Trevor served in the Royal Air Force for 38 years and attained the rank of Warrant Officer, the highest rank for non-commissioned officers. He was one of the last Boy Entrant groups and trained at RAF St Athan in 1964–1965. His final posting in 1994 was also at RAF St Athan. He retired from the RAF in 2003 before going on to work for the Ministry of Defence.

Lynne’s family has a strong connection with the Vale of Glamorgan and the military. They lived at St Athan in 1976, where Lynne attended primary school, and she has been a resident of the Vale since 1994. 

Growing up in a military family gave her a wonderful childhood, living in different parts of the UK as well as Singapore, Hong Kong and Germany.

With such a strong personal connection, Lynne felt that gifting her rewards to the Barry Veterans Group would be a meaningful way of honouring her dad and celebrating the veterans within her community.

A Very Special Visit

Lynne and her friend Lesley were invited to join the Veterans Group for their Breakfast Club at All Saints Church on Saturday. What followed was a morning filled with conversation, laughter, shared experiences and new connections.

Lynne said it was a “very wholesome experience” meeting the veterans and hearing about their lives and service.

The highlight was seeing the 21 reward vouchers being handed out. There were plenty of appreciative “oohs and aahs” as the veterans discovered the rewards they had received, and it was clear just how much the gesture meant to them.

Among those receiving rewards was Jim, aged 91, who had served in the RAF. He received tickets for a visit to SWAM. Wayne, an Army cook living with vascular dementia, received day attraction tickets for Fonmon Castle, while Richard, aged 81 and recently bereaved, received a voucher for a valet and car wash in Llantwit.

There was, naturally, plenty of friendly banter too, with some of the group joking that Richard could take his mobility scooter along for a clean and polish! Richard plans to give his voucher to his daughter.

For Lynne, however, the morning was about much more than handing out vouchers. It was about making connections.

She was given the opportunity to look around the group’s Remembrance Garden and, through conversations with members, has already helped create new links between the Veterans Group and the Civic Garden. 

One member has kindly offered pond plants for the Civic pond, while other members have donated plants for the Civic Well-being Garden.

Another unexpected connection came through a conversation with an 81-year-old gentleman who spoke about using the Vale Greenlinks bus service. 

He mentioned that the service was struggling to find drivers on Fridays. Lynne’s friend Lesley expressed an interest in volunteering as a driver and is now planning to contact them to find out more.

The Ripple Effect of Volunteering

For Lynne, this experience demonstrates exactly what “Gifting It Forward” is all about.

It is not simply about the rewards earned through volunteering. It is about what happens when those rewards are used to recognise others, create connections and spread kindness throughout the community.

“Volunteering helps strengthen community ties, creates new friendships and opportunities, and fosters a greater sense of belonging,” says Lynne. 

“Most importantly, it can make a genuine and positive difference to local people.”

By choosing to gift her rewards to the Barry Veterans Group in memory of her father, Lynne has created a lasting connection between her own volunteering journey, her family’s military history and the veterans in her local community.

What began with hours spent volunteering in the Civic Garden has now blossomed into new friendships, donated plants, potential new volunteering opportunities and, most importantly, 21 veterans receiving something to make them smile.

Lynne’s Gifting It Forward is a wonderful example of how one act of kindness can create a ripple effect, touching far more people than we might ever imagine.