Do you volunteer?

I’m a befriender. I really enjoy it as I’m not tied to any particular time and the person and I get on very well.

Oh this sounds interesting; Is this ‘in person’ or ‘online’ Gran22boys?

I volunteered for 25 years for my local Community Centre. It was the best thing that I have ever done. I gained so much experience that I wouldn't have had and made some of my best friends. I stopped volunteering due to ill health but I still go in weekly to talk to people and support the Community Centre. hugs

I volunteer at my grandsons school. I have previous experience as a teacher, and before that, a librarian,that I thought would be useful. I run the school library for them. This year I am also reading stories with the nursery children. Find something you would like to do and research it locally

12 years in a charity shop 20 plus hours a week ( my choice) love it, keeps me alive

I am another who volunteers in a local junior school, helping children with their reading, I go in twice a week - my choice - and find it very rewarding. Schools are crying out for reading volunteers.

A lot of towns have volunteer coordinator bureaus which match volunteers to volunteering opportunities. You explore with them what you’ve got to offer and opportunities are available. There’s such a range available. I wouldn’t have thought of what I ended up doing but it’s a perfect match - it suits me and my skill set was just what they needed. It’s really useful so sit down and discuss with someone

Not so but to ( not a command😂)

I volunteer with the Dementia Service run by our local Age Uk who currently have the contract in this area.

I help run Carer Learning Courses for people looking after relatives with dementia. We get loads of good feed back and I love doing it.

I also help run a couple of their Memory Cafes and a Bright Sparks Cafe for people who have a diagnosis of MCI.

I get so much out of my volunteering and I hope I am able to help a few people along the way. I have made good friends with some of the other volunteers.

Charity shop and they’re crying out for staff. You meet nice likeminded people who just want to give something back.

I am part of quite a large team of volunteers who record the local news for blind and partially sighted people. I also compile and read and record magazine items on various subjects for the blind.

I also used to read for the local blind newspaper.
However after Covid the arrangement was changed and I wasn't able to continue.

I also answer the phones for a local 'help' charity. I do this once a month on a day of my choosing.

I'm a volunteer steward at our local museum. I usually do 3 full days a month, but you can choose you own hours.
It gets me out of the house, I've made lots of new friends and I enjoy meeting our visitors, many of whom are from different countries.
One day a week, I work on a farm owned by a charitable organisation which is located in a clearing in a forest.
It is so good to get out in the fresh air.
We plant trees, collect fruit for sale or pressing, maintain various nest boxes, count frog spawn, drink a lot of coffee and eat a lot of cake too.

I trained with Citizens Advice and volunteered with them for about 14 years. It keeps your brain working. You learn very useful skills and knowledge which is used to help others. I enjoyed keeping up my tech skills, meeting new people and making new friends amongst the other volunteers.

I can't volunteer because of ill health but if I were to I would look first at my skill set and see what I had to offer, admin, social, children, elderly. You may need to just try one or two out because of the fit. Some places may be cliquey. Do you remember the Mary Portas Queen of the Shops programme. A group of old ladies at a charity shop had her in tears as she tried to rearrange the shop to make it more profitable. They stuck to 'we have always done it this way'. And she was very confident in her approach.

Currently not volunteering as we have moved house. I did go down to the local Museum, but found the work offered very boring and not well organised.

I was a volunteer Home Advisor with Age Concern (now Age UK) for 10 years, Before that I and a friend ran an activity club once a month for a charity we both worked with, I was on the PTA when my children were at school. I have served on the committee of several special interest groups organising activities and through one I served on the local Liaison Committee at the local power station.

I volunteer for a large local charity that provides support to people from all backgrounds who find themselves in personal crisis. I volunteer in the donations centre where we receive and sort a huge pile of goods every day which have to be checked for safety and clothes washed and ironed.I only do one session a week but love the interaction with the other volunteers and with the general public.

I volunteer at a local amateur theatre, as a steward on Front of House each month when we stage a week long production. We have a large membership so I usually only have to help once during the run. I also go once a week to help with the props - cleaning, tidying, sorting, etc.

Currently, we are staging Yes, Prime Minister in which I have a very minor rôle but it is not compulsory to tread the boards. We couldn’t strut our stuff without the willing band of volunteers who support with sound, light, set building, coffee shop, bar, wardrobe, props, stage management and prompt!

It’s a great organisation of which to be part and I’ve made good friends since joining. We are lucky to have our own premises in a converted church. Most places have amdram or musical theatre groups and are always glad to have volunteers to help when they stage their shows. 🎭🎤🎟️🎶

I was a Samaritan for 23 years.

I work as a helpline volunteer, supporting parents of babies that cry excessively or have sleep problems.
Very rewarding and I talk to some lovely parents.

Sorry volunteer, not work.

I volunteer at our local hospice both with patients and families and as a volunteer staff coach. One is out of my comfort zone and very rewarding and one is utilising skills and experience to offer something that charities can't afford to pay for! I enjoy my volunteering.

I coordinate volunteer drivers with clients who are registered with us requiring lifts to various medical appointments. I work one day a week from home, there are spreadsheet updates and lots of telephone calls.
I enjoy it.

Charity shop once a week, though at the moment I'm not due to pulling my back out lifting the hoover.