I started volunteering as a visitor, I got matched with an older lady to visit her at home, and we really hit it off, I loved it. Then I started volunteering at the lunch club about 20 years ago and I’ve been here ever since. There’s some real characters, and I just love to be involved. I come to the arts and crafts classes. Some of the older ladies especially, when they first start coming, they’ve just got such low self confidence in themselves and then they come for a few sessions and it’s amazing how you just see them get more confident, make friends, and develop and you find their so creative – everyone has these abilities and coming here they get to blossom. One lady was so quiet, and then we had an event with the school, and being around the children she just really came into herself. It’s just lovely to see people come out of themselves and that’s the joy I get out of doing this. It’s hard work, but it’s so worth it. Volunteering makes me feel young and I’m older than a lot of the members who come in! I just love it, I really do.
We went to Harrogate recently on a trip on the minibus, and had some lunch and looked at the shops, and for some people who’ve lived in this area for 90 odd years, they’d never been to Harrogate, and when we go to the seaside at Bridlington, it’s often the first time one or two have seen the sea in their lives.”
I’d say to any funder if you only knew what joy you bring to people’s lives. We’re always very grateful for any funding.
BCF welcomes everyone, no one is an outsider, we’re a community and we’re all in it together. It doesn’t matter who you are, we’re about unity here.
Sheila, age 87 – BCF Volunteer and Member