My values are similar to those of Communities 1st - we believe in kindness."
Carole became a volunteer with Communities 1st in 2020 at the outbreak of the COVID pandemic. She became a steward at the Vaccination Centres and used her sewing skills to make scrubs for health workers. Carole told me that she has a great interest in fashion so I’m sure her scrubs will have been well cut and made to a high standard!
A friend recommended Carole to contact Communities 1st and she is so pleased that she did. “It was such an extraordinary time, and I could see that many people were finding life difficult. I wanted to help – it was the right thing to do.” She continued, “Although COVID feels like a long time ago, it wasn’t really. It was such a strange time. It felt like being in a film. The streets were so empty, and it was so quiet.”
Carole has continued to be a volunteer with Communities 1st and today she supports people with shopping and prescription delivery. She is also a Volunteer Ambassador and helps at events, such as the turning on of the Christmas lights. She enjoys talking to people and I could tell from our brief chat that she is a good communicator with a great sense of humour.
Making a commitment really shouldn't deter you
“I think many people are put off volunteering because they are reluctant to make a commitment. They feel it will take up too much of their time,” Carole commented. “But that has really not been my experience with Communities 1st. I can fit volunteering into my everyday life and it’s easy to say ‘no’ if you haven’t got time or you’re unavailable.”
Carole, who describes herself as mixed race, half Jamaican, is in her early fifties, and lives with her family in St Albans. She has two children, one aged 17 and the other soon to be 21. She moved here 18 years ago from West Hampstead. She attended the London College of Fashion and worked in London as a fashion buyer. Carole is interested in interior design, gardening, and cinema. Because of the focus on fashion, she enjoys going to the V&A Museum. She doesn’t work full time but does other voluntary and part time roles, including helping with her friend’s catering business. Her husband is very supportive of her volunteering. He used to volunteer as a children’s sports coach.
Shopping for Denise
Carole shops for two or three people a couple of times a month and she will also collect and deliver prescriptions when required. Her greatest undertaking, however, is the shopping that she does for Denise* every week. Carole told me that “Denise is nearly eighty and more or less housebound. Her family live quite a distance away so, sadly, she has very little contact with them. She sees very few people. I’m pleased that we have built up a good, friendly relationship.”
It seems to me that what Carole does for Denise is so much more that “just shopping.” Yes, she does the shop, but she will also put the items away because Denise is unable to do so. They will also have a chat and Carole thinks this befriending role is very important. Carole explained in a little more detail. “Denise is limited in what she can eat. She told me that she hasn’t been to a shop for nine years. Because I now know her well, I know the sort of things that she likes, and I look out for these.” She continued, “I like to introduce her to new foods. For example, the other day I got her some carrot and swede mash. She’d never had it before, and she really enjoyed it! I’ve also introduced her to red pepper and red lentil soup which she loves! Just the small act of trying new foods is a window into the outside world for her. She always buys flowers and I think it’s lovely to see the joy she gets from little things like flowers.”
“We will have a chat. She will always ask after my family. We’ll talk about all sorts of things – her health, plants, and gardening, and sometimes what is going on in the world. I think she is a wonderful person, and she is grateful for what I do. It is a pleasure to help her.”
Volunteering is in the family
Carole believes that it is important to help other people. “Volunteering is in my blood. My grandmother volunteered with Oxfam. My parents volunteer and when my dad retired, he took on more! It’s part of our family ethos to help others. We’re Roman Catholics and we were brought up to help those less fortunate.”
Communities 1st is fantastically considerate”
Carole feels very much at home with Communities 1st. “They are always fantastically considerate of your needs and grateful for what you do,” she explained. “Kindness is spread throughout the organisation, from Stephen down! They are always respectful, and they never put pressure on you to do something.”
She concludes that “100 percent I would recommend being a volunteer with Communities 1st. They provide a wonderful range of services and there are lots of things that you can do. It is lovely what they do, and I wish more people knew about them.” Undoubtedly, Carole is a great ambassador.