We’d like to take a moment to recognise Angela Pretlove – one of Brake’s longest serving volunteers. Brake was founded in 1995 when our Chief Executive Mary Williams began to campaign for road safety following her own personal experiences of road death. Angela joined soon after, following the loss of her beloved husband Dennis (pictured) in a road collision. She has supported us and fought to raise awareness for road safety ever since.
This is Angela’s story. “I first contacted Brake in the early part of 1996, a few months after Dennis's death in a road crash in November 1995. Mary Williams, Brake’s founder, was known to some of my work colleagues and suggested I contact her for help. It was the best thing that I ever did.
"In the early days, Brake was there to support me – they arranged for a volunteer to attend the court case with me to offer support. It seemed only right that I too gave something back to help others bereaved through similar circumstances to myself. It is now 25 years later and I am still volunteering for Brake. Over the years I’ve stuffed envelopes; raised awareness in schools, work places and police forces; worked alongside the Brake helpline team speaking to newly bereaved volunteers; helped at Brake events, organised talks to hospitals, social groups and churches, undertaken media interviews and I’ve also fundraised for the charity organising bake sales, bucket collections and the sale of Christmas novelties.
"Personally, I’ve found the presentations the most rewarding. As with any situation it’s quite daunting entering a room full of people to talk about something so personal to me, but the reward of knowing that, by doing so, I’m helping save lives, makes it all worthwhile.
"I would encourage anyone with a passion for road safety to offer yourself as a volunteer of Brake. I’m so please that I took that initial step back in 1996. Volunteering has been so rewarding. Yes, I’ve helped Brake over the years – but Brake has also helped me.”
Mary Williams added: "Angela is the shining example of a fantastic volunteer; fundraising, raising awareness and campaigning for change. Without people like Angela, Brake is nothing. We are the sum of all our staff and volunteers and their amazing efforts and humility to stand up and shout out for an end to the carnage on our roads. It is a pleasure and honour to know Angela and thank her for her work supporting the charity and our vision of a world where we can all move in safe and healthy ways."
If you’re interested in volunteering for Brake, please email Lisa on fundraising@brake.org.uk.
Rebecca Stuart
Digital marketing officer at Brake