This blog is part of a series that celebrates the stories of the amazing Community Care Volunteers that have been supporting vulnerable people across Leeds during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sally explains how and why she decided to become a Community Care Volunteer at Horsforth Community Aid Project (HCAP).

How has your normal daily life changed during the coronavirus outbreak? E.g. how has your work situation changed or your home life?

Daily life has completely changed. I am the owner of a performing arts company which works with kids in schools and with the schools being off we can’t do that. We’ve had to furlough ourselves.

It feels really strange when it’s your own business and we’re quite new. We were doing really well then all this happened. It will be fine and we’ll pick it up again but it is strange. Even though my husband and I are trained teachers, teaching your own kids is a whole new ball game. Some days they want to learn and some days they don’t.

Why did you decide to become a Community Care Volunteer?

I knew that I wasn’t going to be able to work but I knew that I wanted to do something. I knew that I was going to be looking after the kids but I wanted something outside of the house that I could do. I just knew that there would be people out there that would be stuck, so I signed up and I didn’t really know what I was signing up to but I’m really enjoying it.

What specific tasks are you carrying out and how, what environment are you working in, how often are you volunteering?

I made some deliveries to start off with then I did some shopping for a lady called Erica, and Sally (Hub Manager) was keen to have regular shoppers for people, so I became a regular shopper for Erica and her husband.

I’ve been doing this for the last 10-11 weeks and built up a lovely little relationship with her. There was one day when she didn’t come to the door, it was her husband instead and I was a bit worried about her and wondered if she was ok? She wasn’t feeling well that week and I saw her the week after and she was fine which made me feel better.

We always have a lovely catch-up chat. She’s in her 80s and she loves to tell me things she’s really missing, like going shopping and she’s missing her independence. She’s been independent all her life. it’s nice that we’ve now set up a connection for her with the local butchers so they deliver to her and then I do her Morrison’s shop.

I think it’s lovely for her to see the same face every week and she’s also allowed me to swap things on her shopping list if I need to – she trusts me now. She says if something isn’t there in the shop then she trusts me to find the next best thing.

What does a normal day as a Community Care Volunteer entail?

I come to the Hub every Thursday and pick up the shopping list and they text the vouchers over to me. I then do the shopping, take it to Erica and then bring the receipt back to the hub, it’s really easy. It look longer in the beginning with all the queues at the supermarket and because her shopping list is a lot different to mine, so it’s finding what she wants in the shop.

I love the chat though, I just think that she’s someone’s Gran and someone’s mum and I would want someone to do that and look after my family.

How has volunteering during the COVID-19 crisis made you feel?

It’s good, I feel positive. I’ve helped someone. I know that Erica appreciates it and I think it’s made me feel like I’m helping and I’m not doing an awful lot but it makes such a difference.

You do feel a bit helpless at times. It’s all out of our control, and you get told what to do in terms of rules and regulations. So this is something I can do.

Have you had any previous experience as a volunteer?

Never. First time. I’d definitely recommend it to other people. This opportunity is local to me and it was handy and going shopping for someone is easy.

I would definitely volunteer again in the future, probably something local. I really like working with elderly people. I’d like to keep a relationship with Erica because we’ve built that now, so even if it’s just popping round to say hello.

It’s weird to just stay at the doorstep at the moment because that’s where you’ve got to be, but it’d be nice to keep up that relationship, and I know that her children are not local and she hasn’t got any family close by. I also enjoy coming to the hub and talking to Sally (Hub Manager) and Chris (Volunteer Coordinator).

What’s your message for anyone thinking about volunteering?

Do it. I think if you’ve got the time then it’s really rewarding. It builds up new relationships, it gives you something positive to do and makes you feel helpful really useful and productive and like you’re doing good.

 

Volunteers can offer practical support for vulnerable people (such as shopping deliveries, preparing meals, making check-in phone calls) or can sign-up as an informal volunteer to help within their own neighbourhood in more general ways. The Leeds City Council helpline is available so that people in need of support can call 0113 378 1877 to be matched with a local volunteer who can help.

The Community Care Volunteering Programme is not currently accepting applications from new volunteers but there are still lots of other volunteering opportunities available in Leeds. To find out more, please visit https://doinggoodleeds.org.uk/i-want-to-volunteer/

VAL