Volunteering

Although our staff are dedicated to what they do at Rose Cottage, they do have lives outside as well. I work with Lindsay 2 days a week and she has told me about a volunteering activity she does, so I asked her to write something about it. Here's what she had to say...

"Hi, I'm Lindsay and I have worked at Rose Cottage since 2019 part time. While doing my shopping a year or so ago I saw an advertisement asking 'Can you spare an hour a week?' This was from a group called Evergreen who help lonely old people in our community. People who maybe don't have the best mobility to get out to see people, are alone as they have been bereaved, or aren't int he best o f health and live alone. They have volunteers who are partnered with an elderly person and who go to visit them once a week.

I went into it thinking that it was a lovely thing that I was doing for the person I was partnered with, but actually as well as that I thoroughly enjoy my weekly visits with my befriendee. We chat and listen to music or play Scrabble. I'd tidy her nails up and sometimes we'd potter in her garden and help her with the tomatoes she was growing. We'd drink coffees and have the occasional biscuit. I absolutely love my visits and I'd get so carried away chatting that I have to set an alarm on my phone so I could collect my son from school on time!

I loved hearing stories from when she was younger. We found out that we had lots in common. In the summer holidays my befriendee suggested bringing my son with me to our visits and he loved it! We ate fish and chips outside in her garden and my son would read to her. On most occasions he would be raiding her biscuit barrel! We were invited to come to watch an England Ladies' football match that was on television one Saturday with her shouting at the TV!

There are so many elderly members of our community that are lonely and would love to have a friend visit once a week for an hour. Can you spare an hour? If you feel this could be you, please go to the Evergreen Sleaford web site to find out more."