Do you volunteer?

Being a charity trustee can be great and its not physically demanding. Typically there are 6 board mtgs pa, an annual planning session, & you may be part of an online committee too. Many advertise posts or you can apply & wait for a vacancy.

You probably have a u3a near you - they need committee members, group leadrs, teamakers, organisers, for the group as a whole & for the individual groups. Our u3a has 2000 members & 90 interest groups, so help is always welcome

I volunteered in a charity shop for 15 years. It was for a charity supporting kids with special needs. I worked closely with a good friend and we saw many Managers come and go. We both left when a new one came who most of the staff couldn’t get on with.

I also volunteered for 3 years on Saturdays for a charity helping older, socially isolated people. The funding ran out but it was great while it lasted.

I would like to volunteer again but I now have a disabled husband who needs me.

The charity I volunteered with is a local one. I've been a befriender to a child between the age of 5 and 13 who would benefit from regular time with a committed adult. The volunteer spends time with the child, about 3 hours a week, for about 15 months, normally outside the home. But the child and parent/guardian know only your first name and don't know where you live. Training and enhanced DBS of course.
I was with Home Start for some years before this, about 12 years in all after retirement. I loved doing it but it was demanding. I could tell some stories!
Nowadays it's just litter-picking and occasional help with school visits to the local historic building.

Used to. I used to drive people to and from various appointments - mostly GP/hospital, and once a month sit by the phone taking request calls for lifts, and trying to match them up with volunteer drivers. But would often end up doing them myself.

I eventually stopped because the scheme was intended for people who were unable to use public transport, and who couldn’t afford taxis, for what was usually quite short journeys.

Only the number of people who were blatantly taking the P, using the scheme as a free taxi service, really started to bother me, so I called it a day.

I do a few bits but one thing that can be done at home if that suits and in your own time is checking puzzles for a local jigsaw festival, should you have one. Ours also sells checked jigsaws online all year round and raises an amazing amount of money for local charities. One of our charity shops is happy to take any with missing pieces, as long as they’re clearly marked as not complete.

Like Cabbie21 I volunteered at Citizens Advice. I did it for ten years until I had to give up due to health problems. I really enjoyed being able to help people with a wide variety of issues and the staff and other volunteers were lovely. You do have to undertake training but most of it is done by shadowing other volunteers and you don’t need any specific qualifications or prior experience. You just need to be a good listener and communicator. I thoroughly tecomnend it if you want to keep your brain active.

I teach tai chi and have done so for 17 years now. It's the most rewarding thing I could ever have done and I'm so grateful to have had this opportunity. We, the instructors not only are volunteers, but we pay to go to our own classes! The money raised goes towards all hall fees in the area. (four small towns/villages and to bringing in international instructors when we can. We pay all expenses, including air fares, for them but when we are bringing in someone from USA or Canada we try to combine with others in our group in Poland which makes that slightly more affordable for us all. It's really an all-consuming thing to do but as well as providing the benefits of tai chi for so many locally, we are also reaping the benefits in our own bodies. When I look at us all, I marvel at how healthy we all are- and there are a number of us in our mid 80s.

I am a befriender to a fellow veteran and buddy to people with cancer. I also work for a couple of hours a week helping with a community garden.

Witzend

Used to. I used to drive people to and from various appointments - mostly GP/hospital, and once a month sit by the phone taking request calls for lifts, and trying to match them up with volunteer drivers. But would often end up doing them myself.

I eventually stopped because the scheme was intended for people who were unable to use public transport, and who couldn’t afford taxis, for what was usually quite short journeys.

Only the number of people who were blatantly taking the P, using the scheme as a free taxi service, really started to bother me, so I called it a day.

While I don’t do any voluntary work outside the house any more, I spend a great deal of time making items that are always wanted, for a particular charity.
It’s not just time either - the cost of materials and postage do certainly add up.

I find I get a huge amount out of this work and meet some lovely people at the local foodbank, serving in the " shop".

I volunteer as a gardener fora local National Trust one day a week. There are about 18 of us on my day and are a really varied group of people. 50% of them are approaching 80 so it must be doing them some good! We take a packed lunch with us and have some great conversations whilst wielding a hoe or picking the produce for the shop and restaurant. 👩‍🌾

Not any longer, but have done various voluntary positions over my lifetime. I really enjoy it, but my health is not so great just now. If it improves I will certainly consider taking it up again.

Thank you everyone, this is so helpful. I’ve gots lots to think about but am now looking into either Homestart or the Samaritans.

I’ve never really thought of the things I do or have done as volunteering but reading all these posts I suppose they are.
Over the years I have been on many committees for local causes and schools when our girls were younger . I’ve sung in choirs that have performed free to fund raise and for clubs and residential homes. I’m on the local WI committee .
A friend and I also run a local craft group. I’m always happy to bake for charity events.
Many of these help others by giving them somewhere to go and meet other people and I too have made friendships along the way.