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 Annette who volunteers for the charity as a Community Friend.
We caught up with Annette to hear about her Fresh Futures Volunteering journey so far…
How long have you been volunteering for the charity? 15 months.
Tell us a bit about yourself: I have been married to John for 45 years and we have 5 daughters and 15 grandchildren, I have lived in the Holme Valley since I was 12 and I walk 6k every day. I also love reading and baking
Tell us about your volunteering role: I visit Ken every week, for a chat, shopping, eating or a drive in the country.
Tell us about a typical day in your role: If Ken is feeling ok we will go shopping, go to a garden centre, or just go for a drive to enjoy the countryside, once a month I take him to the barbers and if he has a doctors appointment I take him to that. If he’s having a bad day we just stay in a chat until we have put the world to rights.
What made you want to start volunteering with Fresh Futures? My daughter volunteers, and until she did I have never heard of such a thing, so I wanted to help someone who might be experiencing loneliness as I can’t imagine how terrible it would be not to talk to anyone for days at a time.
And finally, what advice would you give to people considering volunteering with Fresh Futures? Just give it a go it will enrich your life and the person to whom you visit.
If you feel inspired to become a volunteer like Annette, or if you would like to volunteer in any way for our charity, please contact Lucy on 01484 519988 or [email protected]