Volunteers’ Week – Roger’s Story

This Volunteers’ Week, we want to celebrate people like Roger!

“As a Compassionate Neighbour, I make a weekly house visit to my current client, Brian who is 91 years old.

I joined the team in 2022, and after a period of training, I was allocated my first client a few months later.

I chose to volunteer because I wanted to give back, after seeing what it was like when my Dad passed away, and my Mum was on her own for two years. At the time, I lived 140 miles away in the East Midlands and saw what it is like not to have regular face to face contact with people when you get older.

Seeing the benefit Brian my current client gets from having someone who has shared interests with him and to see how he benefits from engaging on a face to face basis every week gives me great pleasure. In addition I try and get Brian to come out with me in the car whenever he feels capable and this really encourages me to see how he benefits from interaction with other people.

When I am asked what do I enjoy most about volunteering, my response is the ability to feel I have achieved something positive, like in Brian’s life and to appreciate how his quality of life can be improved by him being focused on making the effort to try and get out of the house as much as we are able. My working relationship with him has also focused my own mind on the inadequacies of the current social care system on which he relies for his daily well being.

I would definitely recommend people taking on board the role I play on the Compassionate Neighbour scheme. It is very rewarding to see the positive impact it has on clients, it differs quite considerably from other volunteer roles at Willowbrook but it suits me down to the ground.

My advice to anyone considering it, is to go for it, it might not suit everyone but the rewards are very positive ones. Like anything in life you only get back based on the individual effort or commitment you put in yourself.”

Thank you Roger for sharing your personal story, we are so grateful for all that you do!

Find out more here: www.willowbrook.org.uk/volunteer, or call 01744 453798!