Volunteer of the month is when we get to shout about our amazing volunteers and the, quite literally, life changing work they do to help Fresh Futures run smoothly and effectively.
This month we would like to say a big THANK YOU to Karen who is a Community Friend. We caught up with Karen to hear about his Fresh Futures volunteering journey so far…
Tell us a bit about yourself!
I work as an admin assistant which I love. I have recently gone back to college to do math’s GCSE! I love spending time with family and friends.
Tell us more about your volunteering role:
My befriending role involves me visiting my friend most weeks and I ring her a couple of times a week for a catch up.
How long have you been volunteering for the charity?
I have been a befriender for about 11 years. I have also done some reading groups in a care home setting, helped out at the centre with events and delivered gifts at Christmas.
What’s a typical day volunteering like for you?
I’ll generally ring my friend on a Monday night and might call with a sandwich one day. She is 93 and loves a good chin wag!
What made you want to start volunteering with Fresh Futures?
I worked in Brighouse Sainsburys and we did some work collecting Christmas gifts for the elderly people who visited a rest centre. Most were on their own and the small gifts were so appreciated. The difference it made really made me want to help where I could!
And finally, what advice would you give to people considering volunteering at Fresh Futures?
It’s so rewarding, you can make such a difference by giving just an hour a week. I would advise anyone to do it, I have made some lovely friends over the years.
If you feel inspired to become a volunteer like Karen, or if you would like to volunteer in any way for our charity, please contact Lucy on 01484 519988 or [email protected]