Volunteering is enriching for all

Volunteers’ Week is now officially over but we thought we’d extend it to a fortnight!

Now we can tell you more ‘Volunteer Stories’ featuring some of our wonderful Communiteers and how they became involved with us, how they help our service users and why volunteering is important to them.

Bob is one of our longest standing volunteers. Here’s what he has to say:

“I was ‘volunteered’ to be a church rep for Communicare some 25 years ago, at a time when it was about to extend its activities in the west of the city through its growing team of volunteers.

Grant funding

“It soon became necessary to take the steps to turn Communicare into a charitable company and my professional background meant that I was well placed to help set this up with the help of two Trustees.

“During the next decade, I was heavily committed to searching out grant funding to meet the growing costs of the charity.

Befriending

“For the last 10 years I’ve concentrated on volunteering activities such as befriending and driving. I have also given talks to a wide range of groups and organisations to encourage them to see the benefits of volunteering for a now well-established local charity.

“As well as having two clients that I currently befriend over the phone, I am involved in some of the inter-generational groups that have been set up by Communicare in different parts of the city.

Enriching

“I believe that in this digital age it is important for young people to have the opportunity to meet and relate to older people, usually in a church hall venue or in their care home.

“It is enriching for an elderly person who has lived a full and interesting life to know that a young person is keen to interact with them. I know this from personal experience as a grandfather!”

Like to join our volunteers?

If you ever have a spare hour, or so, each week, then we’d love to hear from you, as we always need more volunteers and the experience may also benefit you too.

We can be flexible and work around your other commitments. Please get in touch via 023 8250 0050 or volunteer@communicareinsouthampton.org.uk.

Photo with thanks to Tim Kenyon Photography.