Volunteering with Contact the Elderly
The Council’s 'It Takes All of Us' campaign is encouraging
residents to think about how they could play a part in their local
communities or support a voluntary organisation. Sarah Reed told
Royal Borough about her work as a volunteer driver and co-ordinator
at the Kensington branch of Contact the Elderly.
What does Contact the Elderly do?
It gives isolated old people the opportunity to get out of their
homes and socialise. The Kensington branch has a group of seven
elderly people who visit a host’s home for Sunday afternoon tea
once a month. Everyone knows each other and looks forward to
catching up with news and gossip.
How did you get involved with Contact the Elderly?
By responding to an advert in the local paper. I had been making
films for the World Wildlife Fund, and working with Contact the
Elderly meant I could still be involved with a charity but without
the same pressures. It was the right choice; I’ve been with them
for 16 years and became a Trustee in 2007. I think reaching out to
vulnerable people is important.
What do your volunteers do?
We need volunteers to take our members to and from their homes.
We also spend the afternoon with the guests and join in the
conversations, so we get to know each other really well. Our
volunteer hosts also provide tea, sandwiches, cakes and armchairs
once a year. The commitment is quite small – just one Sunday
afternoon every month – but it makes a real difference to people
who otherwise might go for days or weeks without real social
contact.
What are the Sunday afternoons like?
Contact the Elderly is about making and maintaining
relationships – and not just for our members. Our conversations
range from the ‘credit crunch’ to memories of childhood or what’s
on television. It’s great to see different generations sharing
experiences and leaving with smiles on their faces. Our oldest
member is 99 years old and the youngest driver is 26, and as I have
seen over and over again, age really doesn’t matter!
Are you looking for more volunteers?
Yes! Although there are more than 360 branches across the UK we
are looking to grow. With an increasingly elderly population there
are many people in Kensington and Chelsea who would benefit from an
afternoon in good company but it will only happen with more
volunteers. We need safe drivers who can spend a Sunday afternoon
with us once a month and hosts who are willing to welcome people
into their homes once a year.
Contact us
To volunteer with Contact the Elderly visit their website at
www.contact-the-elderly.org.uk
or call 0800 716543.