As part of our Hub Appeal, we asked Shirley to tell us a bit about why she chose to volunteer at LifeCare and how it makes her feel.
Why volunteer at Lifecare?
“I took early retirement a couple of years ago for several reasons but the main one was to support my dad more; he had mobility issues and was living on his own. Sadly, he passed away before we could get him his collapsible mobility scooter and use our National Trust memberships!”
Although Shirley really enjoyed not working any more, and she had a great time catching up with family & friends all over the UK, Shirley felt that she needed to do something more worthwhile with her time; in particular, she wanted to see if there was anything she could do with older people as she enjoys their company and really feels for anyone that feels a bit lonely.
“I went to a Volunteer Recruitment Fair and spoke to people at the stall, then came down to meet Sarah D for a chat – I really liked the charity, the hub and people so was delighted when she offered me a place as a Hub Greeter!”
We asked Shirley about the impact volunteering in our hub has and how it makes her feel.
“It has a hugely positive impact on me – it gives my week some structure and I really do feel that I am making a small difference to some peoples’ day by just chatting or helping them see what classes or services they could use. It makes me feel great! I feel that I have a bit more of a purpose and hope that I bring something too – there are inevitably some sad situations that people are going through and I hope I am an empathetic ear for those.”
Why should people get behind the appeal?
“People should support the hub appeal to make sure that these services can continue – it is such a fantastic charity. The best thing about the hub are the lovely people that work here and the variety of amazing services and classes that are offered. Supporting this appeal will ensure they are there for years to come!”
If you are interesting in finding out more information about volunteering at LifeCare, please contact us – we would love to hear from you.
