Health and social care is one of the largest volunteering sectors in the UK. This includes organisations like the NHS and charities which improve the wellbeing of people of all ages. So what do helpers actually get involved with? The opportunities are more diverse than we imagined as our bloggers reveal.

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Friday Jun 18, 2010

The very very least I could do

Ive been neglecting this blog for a few weeks and for that I can only apologise.

Last night was really really really busy. Today I am exhausted. Two hours of washing up and an hour and half of chopping onions and garlic is terribly tiring. This is the unglamorous side of volunteering in all its glory.

Some people perhaps wouldn’t want to spend their Thursday evenings washing up 50 peoples dirty dishes, or chopping thirty onions and 12 bulbs of garlic. I wouldn’t have ever said that these would do it for me. But you know what? I wouldn’t want to spend my Thursdays doing anything else now.  

Last night was a bit sad for me, washing up and onions aside, one of my favorite guests is leaving the shelter. He has managed to find a house and is moving in today. This is excellent news for him but incredibly sad for me. He has become one of the regular faces in my life that I look forward to seeing. If I'm sad and fed up he makes me smile, and if I make a mistake he laughs with me. He is a very cheery person and he will be missed by all of us volunteers. But I'm very happy for him and he seems very excited by his move. I will be looking forward to hearing all about it when he comes in to visit us.

His situation has confirmed in my mind why I am doing what I am doing. He had been at the shelter since October and the staff at the shelter have helped give him some stability, support and a safe place to stay while he found a permanent home.

I can not bare to think what would have happened to him if he had been rough sleeping for the last 9 months. Thinking about the possibilities scare me a lot, and yet I know that there is more homeless people sleeping in the streets of London every night. Wikipedia has just told me that in the UK there are 10,459 rough sleepers and  98,750 households in temporary accommodation.

This is a shocking statistic. Homeless can affect anyone and I think that we are all guilty of carrying around a stereotype in our heads about what type of person becomes homeless. We often think of alcoholics, addicts, people that have just come out of prison. I have found, through volunteering, that this is not actually true. Homelessness can affect anyone. Anyone. I heard someone say that you are only ever one paycheque and an unfortunate incident away from loosing your home.

I went on some training recently, for another volunteering role at crisis. We had a session on this subject, and what makes up the Homeless population in the UK and it includes:

• Young people who have just left the care system;
• Men and Women who were previously high earners who lost their jobs, or are homeless due to relationship breakups;
• Ex service men;
• Migrants, refugees and asylum seekers;
• Women escaping domestic violence;
  

The list goes on, and of course it includes addicts, but what I wanted to illustrate is that it can happen to you. It can happen to me. Every guest at the shelter has a different story, some of the guests are from backgrounds similar to mine. Some of them work, the majority want to work. I have heard horrendous stories about people being attacked, physically and verbally, and sexually abused while rough sleeping, and the stories have bought me to tears and kept me awake at night.

If I can play my part to help a charity that is keeping these people safe and giving them stability then I will happily wash up for two hours and chop onions every Thursday night. It’s the least I can do.

Posted by Jenni ( 2:44 PM )
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Tuesday May 11, 2010

I dont believe in Charity. I believe in Solidarity

 

Thursday was a significant day for a lot of you because it was the day you got to go and vote. I did the same but that’s not the only thing I did on Thursday. I was volunteering again (although after I proudly went into the voting booth and crossed my piece of paper and whispered thank you to Emmeline Pankhurst!)

Homeless people can vote, the parliament Uk website says that a homeless person can vote if they register using a declaration of local connection. So, how do you go about doing that? Well you can visit your local Electoral Registration Office and fill out a form saying where you would live if you were not homeless and where you have lived in the past plus you have to detail where you spend most of your time, in a day shelter, on the streets etc.. This helped clear up in my mind the common misconception that homeless people cant vote.

They don’t make it easy though and I wasn’t surprised that the majority of the guests at the shelter hadn’t voted. (Well, out of all the guests I spoke to).

So that’s what I learnt on Thursday.  Pretty interesting stuff.  A friend of mine, Clive, who is homeless and spends a lot of time in Old Street station with his dog Bilo didn’t know he could do that. So, just goes to show how publically available that information is.

Anyway, back to volunteering. The atmosphere was that of Christmas Eve in the kitchen. The other volunteers and I voicing our concerns over a Conservative government and had practically convinced each other that no one in their right mind would vote conservative and we were full of anticipation for would happen that night and I think it had a good effect on dinner. It was delicious! We even had apple crumble and ice cream for afters. The funniest part of the night was looking over at the TV area where about 15  men were sitting watching Grease the musical. 15 men. Sitting. With blank faces and not a smile between them. But not one of them changed the channel. It was incredible and im sure they left it on because they were enjoying Sonia, another volunteer, sing out of tune and dance to the songs! J

I also spent a long time talking to one of the guests who bought in his beautiful dog Tara. It was really interesting listening to his story and I went home feeling lucky. Lucky my life so far has been relatively easy and that I haven’t had to face the challenges other people have had to. But I also went home feeling positive. He’s a positive person and his energy is catching.

As Eduardo Galeano once said: "I don't believe in charity. I believe in solidarity. Charity is so vertical. It goes from the top to the bottom. Solidarity is horizontal. It respects the other person. I have a lot to learn from other people."

I found my Thursday incredibly educational, and yet another thing I have learned thanks to giving up my time to volunteer.

Posted by Jenni ( 9:45 AM )
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Tuesday May 04, 2010

Bokbokbok

This Thursday at the shelter seemed fraught and was fast paced. Im not sure if it was the storm brewing outside that had an affect on everyone feeling hot and bothered and edgy but everyone seemed a little fed up. When I mean everyone, I mean the kitchen volunteers in particular. It didn’t help that we were deboning and skinning chicken for an hour and a half . Hey! Who says volunteering isn’t glamorous?!

But were not phased easily and it was wonderful seeing how some people cope under pressure. Tammy made me laugh and joked about the whole chicken disaster and Ed, a new volunteer took everything in his stride. I spoke with a volunteer who I hadn’t had a chance to speak to before and I learnt a lot about her. By the end of the evening we had the giggles and the stress of it seemed to have disappeared.

It reminded me of boring maths classes at school when I would sit in the back row and giggle about the ridiculousness of maths equations with one friend or another.

But what do you do when you have stress in the “volunteering place”? Well, we did what we would do in any work place. We approached the Volunteer Manager, Louis. Louis is great, he seems to have a whole heap of energy and it really rubs off on the people around him. He motivated us and made us feel good about what we were doing. He encouraged us to continue. As a volunteer manager in my paid non-volunteering job I know I can learn a lot from Louis.

So, volunteering doesn’t just allow me to say “I can help cook meals for a lot of people” on my CV it also allows me to say I can cope under pressure, I can work with people from different backgrounds and who work differently to me and it means I can say I understand how volunteers feel and the importance of excellent volunteer management, because I have first hand experience!

So what was for dinner? well it was surprisingly delicious chicken and mushroom sauce and rice. We even got ice cream for afters, although I may never want to see another chicken. Ever.

Posted by Jenni ( 3:57 PM )
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Monday Apr 19, 2010

Cheese Sauce and Lots of Smiles

Another Thursday and another evening at Shelter from the Storm. This Thursday I helped out in the kitchen, helping to cook a hot meal for 45 guests.

This is a mammoth task and it isn't helped by the fact that we don't get much of a say about what food is available. A lot of the food is donated or is on special offer in the supermarket, so we really are on a budget! This week it was oven fish, you know, the kind you get in the freezer section in the supermarket. And to go with this we had mashed potatoes. Not a very appealing meal but it was made delicious with a  bit of imagination and a cheese sauce which went down so well we had a que for seconds!

Now im sure you don't want to hear about my culinary skills (although the cheese sauce was made by me and tasted amazing!) or the mountains of washing up we had to do afterwards. Something I decided to write about this week is the people ive met while volunteering.

It would probably sound a little cliché to say that ive made friends with some lovely people while volunteering and that it leaves me with a bit of a warm glow, but its true.

Its not just the guests that I have enjoyed talking too, although I do enjoy talking to them, it's the other volunteers too. When I started volunteering I have to be honest and say I had a pre conceived idea of what a fellow "volunteer" would be like. Older perhaps, not much of a life, after all who has time to give up an entire evening of their week? Someone with no life, I thought! (I know, ridiculous isn't it? Especially since I was volunteering!!!) I could not have been more wrong.

I have met people of all ages but mostly people the same age as me, with very similar interests. I even met a lovely girl called Tammy, who lives just round the corner from me in another part of London. Tammy is very funny – we share exactly the same sense of humour and laugh a lot when we volunteer together. I enjoy getting the bus home with Tammy and talking about boys, work and our week almost as much as actually volunteering. Varina is a lovely Austrian girl who is the same age as me and we often work together in the Kitchen. Varina makes me smile and amazes me with her ability to cope under pressure even when the rice doesn't cook properly! I would never have met Tammy, Varina or all the other lovely volunteers if weren't for Shelter from the Storm.

So if you are considering volunteering I recommend doing it and doing it as soon as possible. Not only will it give you the lovely feeling that you helping people less fortunate yourself, I guarantee a lot of laughter and a lot of lovely people just waiting to meet you!!

It even make washing up for two hours worth while......

 

Posted by Jenni ( 4:14 PM )
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Thursday Apr 08, 2010

Shelter from the storm

Hi

I'm Jenni, im a volunteer for Shelter from the Storm, a homeless charity in London.

So why do I volunteer at Shelter from the Storm? Well, it all started when I volunteered for Crisis over the Christmas period. I always knew homelessness was an issue, it didn't take much to work that out, I just had to take a stroll down my road to meet more than one Big Issue seller, or take a walk through Old Street station and you will meet 5 or 6 homeless people in the space of five hundred yards. But with a few weeks over Christmas with the prospect of not much more than eating turkey and staring at the TV I decided to put my time to use and volunteered for Crisis, at their dependency centre. This is the temporary shelter that the charity Shelter put up for homeless people with alcohol or drug dependency's for a few weeks every Christmas.

I'd never done any volunteering like this before. I met homeless people, helped them get warm clothes, a bed to sleep in and some warm food. Some people shared their life stories with me, others just sat and played scrabble. I found myself enjoying it and when Christmas was over and I'd waved goodbye to some new friends I thought I needed to do something that felt a little more permanent. Soon after I received an email from Crisis saying that an organisation called Shelter from the Storm was looking for volunteers.

I jumped at the chance of doing some similar voluntary work and signed up straight away. Within a week I had secured myself a regular Thursday shift and I realised just how different it was volunteering in a permanent shelter. The atmosphere is welcoming and calm, the guests and volunteers friendly and approachable. The shelter sleeps 45 guests each night apart from Friday night when it is closed.  The guests have a bed to sleep in for as long as they need it, and two cooked meals a day.

No drugs or alcohol can be consumed on the premises, so the atmosphere is slightly different to Dependency Centre, but just as enjoyable.

I help to cook dinner, wash up, fold clothes, play ping pong and listen to anything any of the guests would like to talk to me about.

During my time at SFTS I will be writing this blog, to talk about my experience volunteering for a homeless charity!

Keep an eye out for updates...

 

Posted by Jenni ( 9:33 AM )
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Thursday Dec 10, 2009

Festive Frolics!

Yesterday was our last carers' meeting before Christmas, so we decided to throw a little party!  We decked the halls and put on some festive tunes and arranged a buffet of Christmas foods.  There was plenty of laughter and chatter, and the carers seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves!  I mingled and socialised with lots of different carers including Anne, who I spent most of my time with last week.

There was a tinge of sadness to the event; there's something about Christmas and its orientation around families that heightens the pain of having a loved one with dementia.  A few people understandably became teary and it brought home to me the reality that my own grandfather won't be here this Christmas.  This was something that I worried about before I become a volunteer for the Alzheimer's Society, namely, that it would open up wounds for me what with my own grandfather having died of the illness.  And that did happen yesterday, which was a challenge.  But, on the plus side, it wasn't just sadness that I felt; I also felt empowered as a volunteer as I was really able to empathise with the carers.     

The lady who runs the support group presented me with a bunch of flowers in front of everyone to say thanks for my volunteering work and George*, one of our support group regulars, even gave me some bath products as a Christmas present.  They were both such kind gestures and George's gift in particular reinforced my sense of how truly grateful people can be when you give up your free time for their wellbeing.  For me, moments like that really spur you on as a volunteer.

I'll be honest; volunteering can be emotionally tough and I did go away from the party feeling quite upset.  I couldn't stop thinking about how, for our support group members, Christmas Day wouldn't be the completely joyous occasion that it is for many families.  I think we have to expect to be tested emotionally as volunteers, however, as many of the people we meet are in unfortunate situations; if this wasn't the case, they wouldn't need our help.  Furthermore,  knowing how hard Christmas would probably be for the carers made it even more rewarding to be able to help them enjoy at least some festive fun.  

Merry Christmas everyone and I hope you will join me on my volunteering journey in the new year! 

*Name changed to protect identity  

Posted by Sarah ( 5:24 PM )
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Monday Nov 23, 2009

Touching a Life

My last visit to the carers' support group was the most fulfilling and moving yet.  I had one of those light-bulb moments that you sometimes get as a volunteer where you think to yourself, 'this is why I bother giving up my time for free'. 

Just to explain, there are three of us volunteers that run the support group and we have between four and twelve carers attending the group per month.  Sometimes everyone will chat as a group; other times smaller numbers of people will break off into their own conversations. 

For the past few months I've noticed that a really sweet, quiet lady who attends called Anne* seemed a bit reluctant to join in conversation and I suspected it was because she was a bit shy.  So in the last meeting, I purposely sat next to her thinking that I could try and engage her in one-to-one conversation in case she found group interaction intimidating.  I really didn't want her to go away at the end feeling like she didn't get anything out of the support group because she couldn't bring herself to talk. 

The meeting started off with two representatives from Wiltshire Farm Foods bringing in brochures and samples of the ready meals that they sell (the group co-ordinator occasionally organises talks like this that she feels may be of benefit to the carers).  I took the opportunity to pluck up a conversation with Anne by commenting on the food that we were sampling.  She told me that she has to eat a gluten-free diet, so we ended up leafing through the brochure together working out which meals she could eat. 

We got on to talking about all sorts of things from her daily visits to her husband who suffers from Alzheimer's Disease to grandchildren, Christmas shopping and my hopes to become a teacher!  Three hours later the two of us had been chatting to each other non-stop and I felt that we were really beginning to strike up a friendship.  The other volunteers commented afterwards that they had never seen her talk so much! 

When Anne thanked me for her company at the end of the meeting and told me that it had made her day, I was delighted.  Before I became a volunteer, I used to think that volunteering that didn't make a difference on a grand scale was insignificant.  This experience made me realise that touching the life of one person who is in need of support, like Anne, is what really matters.  It's no small feat because to that one person it means so much.  I was so pleased to be able to bring some companionship and enjoyment into Anne's life, knowing how heartbreaking her husband's illness is for her, even if it was just for one day.  That is what I love about volunteering; not only does it provide invaluable support to those who require it most, but it has a real feel good factor for the volunteer too.

* Name changed to protect identity

Posted by Sarah ( 4:32 PM )
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Wednesday Nov 18, 2009

Breaking out of academia

My name's Sarah, I'm 23 years old and I recently began to feel stuck in the education rut.  After leaving school, I started out studying for a degree in Law at Cardiff University.  After two years of serious slogging I decided that I could no longer bear slaving through dry as dust legislation and reams of tiresome case law; it just wasn't for me. 

Writing has always been my true passion so I decided to change degree course to Journalism, Film and Media (my mum reckons I only chose Law in the first place because I thought it would make me look 'impressive').  So after a bit of pleading (with the lecturers, who were bemused as to why someone would change their mind after two years and my parents, who had to fork out the extra money that comes with starting a new course from scratch) I transferred to Journalism. 

The course is current, dynamic and challenging.  But as this is technically my fourth year of university, over the last year I couldn't help feeling a little trapped in the world of academia.  Aside from the odd shop and bar job here and there it's all I've really known, which isn't a lot for someone into their twenties.  And this is where volunteering comes in.  

I decided to volunteer to give my life a bit more substance so to speak.  There are so many volunteering opportunities out there nowadays that initially I was a bit stumped as to where to begin.  I knew I wanted to commit myself to a cause that I felt passionate about, as there's no better impetus than emotional investment.  I soon realised that it was a natural choice for me to volunteer with the Alzheimer's Society.  My grandfather died of this cruel illness five years ago; he was an amazing, kind man and one of the dearest people to me.  I couldn't think of a more motivating factor than that of cherishing my grandfather's memory. 

I called my local branch of the Alzheimer's Society in July of this year and signed up as a carers' support group volunteer.  The role involves going along to a monthly support group for people who care for loved ones with dementia and offering a sensitive and supportive ear.  Some days will be incredibly sad and might involve me reassuring a carer whose partner no longer recognises them.  Other days the carers might feel like talking about anything but dementia and we end up having a real laugh.  Either way, I always go away feeling like I've made a difference to someone's day and I couldn't think of any other volunteering role I'd rather be doing.

Posted by Sarah ( 11:15 AM )
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Saturday Mar 14, 2009

Second Time Lucky?

Hello everyone!

As you can see from my previous blog, my life in the world of volunteering hasn't gone smoothly!

I didn't hear anything about my visits to Eva for some time, so I emailed my coordinator.  It turns out she was just getting on with things, including receiving visits from another service!  I think Eva was very well supported and probably only accepted the offer of a visitor from Age Concern out of politeness.  So I had to make the decision not to continue the visits because I felt like there was someone else out there who probably needed the service more.

Since then I have had my introduction and one visit on my own with Lily*  Lily is amazing! - I feel blessed to know her.  Despite having a myriad of physical problems such as arthritis and osteoporisis, she is incredibily positive, thoughtful and kind.  We spent ages laughing about things like the time she'd left her purse in the fridge, or when she went to write down my name after the first visit so she woudn't forget - and she'd already forgotten it!

Lily doesn't have children and her extended family don't visit much, which is a shame because she loves children.  She also can't look after a pet which is sad because she loves dogs, and has to make do with a soft toy instead (brought a tear to my eye!).  I'm hatching a plan to ask my friend to bring her dog over to visit because he is already trained to visit the elderly.  She would like that.

I've learnt from this experience that just because you are volunteering and doing something amazing, it doesn't mean that the people you are working with will be organised and things will go as you expect.  I've also heard that despite asking for volunteers, people sometimes don't know exactly what to do with them.  Don't let this put you off.  If you have a paid coordinator this will help because they will be trained. 

I'm so glad I did this, I can't quite describe the feeling - but it's wonderful!

What are you waiting for?

Jasmine x

 

Names changed to protect identities.

Posted by Jasmine ( 5:36 PM )
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Wednesday Mar 04, 2009

London Life

Hi there - it's been a while, I know! But as some of you might know, my volunteering project isn't a regular slot on a Monday night. The Community Kitchens Project visits all sorts of events and organisations for one offs and repeat projects. Which is great for me as I love a bit of variety!!

But I have to say, it's been a couple of months now since I've done any volunteering and I've noticed that the little that I've done has actually made a great impression on me. Now, it's important when you read this that you realise that I'm a) a village girl from South Wales and b) a cyclist in London. I've lived in my little corner of Islington for around two years now so I know my neighbours and the local shopkeeper - but that's about it! I get on the bus and everyone avoids eye contact. I get on the tube and everyone avoids eye contact. I get on my bike and, well, those that do make eye contact rarely do so with a smile!

When I'm volunteering though I really feel a connection to a 'community', that Islington is more than simply bricks and mortar.

So, I'm very excited to be starting a Cook and Taste course at the Stuart Low Trust, an organisation that works to promote the health of those suffering from mential, emotional or psychological illness or disease. We'll be attending as part of the Wellbeing Project, which is a space set up to get people involved in social and leisure activities - there's even a drumming workshop which sounds great!

Anyhow, I'll tell you all about it in a couple of days!!

Sara 

Posted by Sara ( 10:36 AM )
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Tuesday Jan 20, 2009

The Story so Far

Good Evening!

First of all, thanks for the interest in my first blog.  Second of all, apologies it's taken this long to enter the second one!  Things haven't gone quite as expected...

I had my introduction with Eva before Christmas.  Barbara from Age Concern sat back and let me chat with Eva - although Eva did most of the talking :).  She was amazing - totally with it and I really liked her, even after such a short period of time.  We're both Capricorns, and, if you're interested in that kind of thing - I could see a lot of similarities between us. 

We arranged a fixed day and time when I would visit, and I left really looking forward to starting the regular visits.

And then... things didn't go as planned.

Eva caught a virus which would have delayed things by a couple of weeks; of course older people take that much longer to recover.  I called her every week, and we would have a brief chat and I arranged to ring her again.  The 3rd time I called, she told me something happened to her support network, and she would need to go into respite care over Christmas.  I contacted Barbara and she said that she'd pass on my number to the family and ask them to call me in the New Year.

I guess I've learnt that you can't predict or expect things to go smoothly because the elderly need more care and support, so there might be difficulties along the way.  It is a shame because I was so ready to start and I feel rather stalled now.  I haven't heard from the family yet, which is actually rather worrying.  I expect she's just having an extended stay, but I will contact Age Concern in a couple of weeks if I don't hear anything. 

Now, in the meantime, I could write about other things - but they wouldn't be anything to do with volunteering or Health and Social Care - and that's why you're reading this!  So, I'll say goodbye for now, and will update as soon as I can.

Jasmine x

Posted by Jasmine ( 9:30 PM )
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Saturday Dec 13, 2008

A Christmas Miracle

I love working for a charity, but one of the main reasons I joined hospital radio initially was for the work experience - specifically to get the chance of doing my own show with the hope of getting into professional radio.  But for the year I've been at NHR I've discovered that I actually prefer the other side of what I do there - the fundraising, so I've recently been applying for jobs in this area.  I had an interview at Diabetes UK last week for a fundraising job, and got it! I wouldn't even have had a chance at getting an interview without the skills I've gained at NHR.  I graduated from uni over three years ago and thanks to my voluntary work it finally feels like I've discovered the right career path for me!

Posted by Dawn ( 8:54 PM )
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Thursday Dec 04, 2008

Lesson No. 1

Right, I think I might have to eat my words!

For the past couple of weeks I've been helping out at a Cook and Taste session that the Community Kitchens Project is running at a youth club in Islington. If you read my first entry, you'll know that I was quite scared of volunteering with 'young people'. So what did I go and do? Volunteer for a project where you hand them some sharp knives. I know, it was such a good choice!

But, they're fab! And I'm really enjoying it. To date we've made spag bol and pizza - well, I say we but it's the kids that did all the chopping, weighing and mixing. They still insist on adding salt to everything and anything...but give me time

So on a reflective note, it's not just them doing the learning (well, I hope they are), I am too. I've done something that I wouldn't have normally, and I've learnt I can do it and that I even quite like it. It's really nice to help out at a youth club, especially as I have such good memories of the one I went to.

Oh, and I've learnt what THE insult of the moment is - fat head! And could someone please explain to me how fresh is used as an insult?? I thought it was a good thing...

Sara

Posted by Sara ( 10:31 PM )
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Sunday Nov 23, 2008

Have a Healthy Christmas...

...doesn't really have the same ring to it as Merry Christmas does it?! But it's what the Manor Gardens volunteers have been asked to think about.

The Community Kitchens Project often take a stall to local festivals and fairs to promote healthy diets and will be attendning a Winter Fair in mid-December. Now, if this was set in June I'd have plenty of ideas - but I'm at a loss. Hands up, I eat terribly in the winter!

So far, all I can think of is citrus fruits (which are currently in season and very tasty!) and moneky nuts. This is a call for help!

Posted by Sara ( 9:00 AM )
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Friday Nov 21, 2008

So, I've decided to volunteer

Hello, I’m Jasmine, I’m 29, and live in Hertfordshire with my fiancé.  I work full-time for a Government agency and will be starting an Open University course soon.

I’ve been thinking about volunteering for a long time.  I made a few half hearted efforts to start but didn’t follow them up.  And of course there were other things using up my energy like different jobs and a part-time college course.

So what made me ‘Do-It’ this time?  Well I always said I’d do something when I was more settled in life.  So one evening whilst watching a fantastic program on Channel 4 Called The Secret Millionaire with my fiancé I made the decision. There might be a turning point for you like that when you realise you have to help.  Lets hope it won’t be too much like my turning point and involve crying at the TV, using up all the tissues and worrying your partner!  Maybe I should stop watching these programs!

I volunteered via do-it.org.uk, which was so easy to use, and even though I knew what I wanted to do, I had a good look through all the different categories to see what was there.

I want to help the elderly. I’ve always had a special affinity with older people and enjoy spending time with them, listening to their stories and being amazed by their quiet wisdom. 

I work full-time and I have a home and a fiancé to look after, so I thought I’d start with something small, and then do more later if I could. Age Concern’s befriending scheme looked really right for me, so I signed up.  Barbara* popped round with some forms and we had a nice chat about what my hobbies and interests were and she explained the process and what was expected of me.  The system is set up to ensure you aren’t overly burdened and they recognise you are giving your time and have other commitments.  It was good to be made aware of some of the issues the elderly face so I was prepared.  By the end I was enlightened and certainly more excited about starting.

I’m due to meet with 96 year old Eva* this week and I can’t wait.  Barbara* thinks we’ll get on well, and I really hope so.  It could be a new chapter in my life as well as hers.

Tune in next time to find out how we got on!

Jasmine J

*Name’s have been changed to protect identities.

Posted by Jasmine ( 4:28 PM )
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