To mark Volunteers’ Week, we’re shining a light on some of the remarkable people who give their time to support the John Whitgift Foundation. Ray Dunkley volunteers with the Cadet Force at Trinity School.
If you were to list everything Ray Dunkley has done as a volunteer over the past five decades, you might be forgiven for thinking it was the CV of several different people. Soldier, Special Constable, Air Training Corps officer, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award organiser, tour guide at the London Transport Museum, Wandsman at St Paul’s Cathedral, and a longstanding supporter of Trinity School’s Combined Cadet Force. At 78, Ray’s volunteering is still going strong, and he’s finding it as rewarding as ever.
A different world
Ray’s connection with Trinity School began in 2003. He took a part-time role after retiring from a senior management position at BP, and recalls it was a world away from corporate life. “Coming to the school was a totally different environment. In industry, you’d pick up the phone, and someone would go straight into what they wanted. There were no pleasantries. At the school, everyone said “please” and “thank you” and opened doors for you. It was so refreshing and such a complete change.”
What Ray does at Trinity School
That warmth drew Ray in, and he soon joined Trinity’s Combined Cadet Force (CCF) as a volunteer, drawing on more than 20 years’ experience as a squadron commander in the Air Training Corps. A particular passion was the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which he helped to run through the CCF. Over more than 40 years organising the scheme across multiple schools and cadet units, Ray estimates he has supervised or assessed more than 1,150 Awards, including 120 at Gold level. He has spent the equivalent of eighteen months in the field supervising expeditions alone.
For Ray, the DofE is about far more than a certificate. “It shows potential employers that a young person has a bit of get up and go, a bit of self-reliance. When candidates come up for jobs with the same A-levels or degrees, employers are looking for something extra, and the DofE does that.” He returned to Trinity’s CCF in 2018 at the request of the then Contingent Commander, and today looks after the Royal Navy Section. A typical volunteering session might involve planning programmes for cadets, organising days out – such as the recent visit to HMS Belfast or a trip to Frylands Woods – or heading off on week-long camps.
Why Ray volunteers
“It’s giving something back, really, helping other people,” Ray explained. He’s also motivated by what he sees in the young people themselves. The CCF, he believes, fills a vital gap: “I look at the cadets as a transition between childhood and adulthood. School gives them their academic qualifications, but you need to give them extra responsibility, leadership training, just that extra bit of push and guidance about what life’s all about.”
Recognition and what really matters
In 2022, Ray received the prestigious British Citizen Award at the Palace of Westminster. This is an honour given to around 50 people each year. More recently, the Lord Lieutenant of London presented him with a commendation for his cadet work at Trinity School. But Ray is quick to say that reward has never been the motivation. “You get personal satisfaction out of helping other people. That’s the best reward, really.”
Ray’s advice on volunteering
“Give what you can,” he says. “There are lots of opportunities out there from hands-on roles like CCF or DofE to helping in a charity shop, serving on a local committee, or contributing to a community newsletter.”
His one caution is to keep balance in mind. “You’ve always got to have an eye on your own life and family. It can take over if you’re not careful, so be realistic about what you can commit to.”
“Do it at whatever level suits you and just start”.
