Imagine a World Without Volunteers...

"...I dread to think what state we’d be in if we didn’t have volunteers"

“It would be devastating. It would impact on vulnerable people, their families, and the wider community. It doesn’t bear thinking about,” commented Patti when I asked her about the role of volunteers. And she should know because not only is she now a volunteer with Communities 1st, before she retired in 2019, she had worked at the world-famous Great Ormond Street Hospital for thirty years as the Voluntary Services Co-ordinator. In that job she recruited volunteers to work with sick children and their families.

Today, as a volunteer for Communities 1st, Patti has an unusual role in that she provides support to staff. She helps set up arrangements between volunteers and people who are needing support. “I have a brokering role,” she explained. “I become involved after the volunteers have already been recruited and are on our data base. I will receive a request or referral from the staff, and I then set to work, searching the data base for available volunteers. This could be for telephone befriending or neighbourly walks. The volunteers will have indicated on their application what they are willing to do. I then liaise with the client and the volunteer.” Patti added, “There may be several conversations. Then hopefully we can make a match.”

Wow, I thought, Communities 1st has fallen on its feet in having Patti take on this work. It draws on her many years’ experience of recruiting volunteers at GOSH and her understanding of the sensitivities around the work. Patti is very pleased to help and doesn’t really see her position as being different from any other volunteer. “I like to help and contribute from my experience. When I retired, I never thought I’d be doing this. Communities 1st made a good match for me and that’s what we want for all our volunteers and users.”

Photograph of Patti at an Our Health Matters event

Overlooking the Queen Vic

Patti, now in her sixties, has lived in Borehamwood for some 25 years. With its film and television history, she finds it an unusual place with a strong sense of community. She likes Borehamwood. “From my window,” she laughed, “I could see EastEnders’ Queen Vic. I like it that Holby City was filmed here. And Strictly!” She enjoyed a responsible and busy job, which she missed when she retired, “but I have got into a new rhythm and Communities 1st is part of that.” In her leisure, Patti enjoys Pilates, reading, going for walks, and taking part in U3A activities (University of the Third Age). She also volunteers at Stanmore Orthopaedic Hospital.

Achieving a successful match is so satisfying

Patti works about one day a week for Communities 1st, and this suits her well. “I enjoy talking to and meeting people. I like sorting out challenges. I even find it satisfying to record what’s happening. That’s very important,” Patti explained. “There is so much need,” she added, “and I feel very humbled. You can do so much by successfully matching two people together. It’s great to watch the relationship develop.” When the service user and the volunteer are both happy, it is a win, win situation.

To lighten the discussion, Patti told me about a couple of experiences that amused her.  “One bank holiday, during the first lock-down, I was talking to a client who lived on a static home park. She had no milk. Everyone near her were of the same age and mobility and couldn’t help. For two pins I would have gone round myself with some milk! Fortunately, there was a volunteer shopper who could help,” she laughed. 

“On another occasion, also during COVID,” she added, “I tried to recruit dog walking volunteers for people who were isolated. Not such an easy thing to do. I was thrilled to be able to find a volunteer to walk two huskies, three times a week!  Big dogs and a big commitment!”

It’s often the unusual that makes Patti smile. “I remember matching a client and a volunteer for telephone befriending. I was able to do so because they had something in common – they both had house bunnies! This meant that they were both delighted to be linked up.”

Husky dog

Working as part of a team

Patti feels that “from the very start, I was made to feel part of the team. I’m able to say what I’m thinking, and I feel I’m listened to.” She added, “Nobody takes what I’m doing for granted. I’m always appreciated and thanked. That’s important and it keeps me going.”  Patti remembers sending a member of staff an update on a piece of work and she was chuffed to receive a reply that included “Thank you, for being Patti.”

And Patti has lots of ideas!

Where there’s tea and cake, you’ll find me!

One-off opportunities often crop up and Patti will be flexible and help if she can. She lives close to the Aberford Road Community Hub and will help with events, often with refreshments. “Anywhere with tea and cake, you’ll find me!” she laughed. She helps to organise the calls to service users who would like a call at Christmas. She has attended staff days and the Communities 1st annual conference.

From our brief phone call, I can see that Patti would fit in well into any team. She is calm, authoritative, articulate, and has a good sense of humour. Above all, she is committed to volunteering.

Tea and cake

Volunteering is the natural thing to do

“I have been around volunteering for so long that I’m convinced that volunteering is the natural thing to do,” Patti argued. “Without volunteers, people would suffer so much more. I don’t believe the statutory services could step in and in any case, they haven’t got the resources.” She concluded, “If Communities 1st didn’t exist, you’d need to reinvent it. Volunteers are vital and Communities 1st is essential in promoting, connecting, and delivering much needed services.” Patti makes an important contribution to this work.

Written by:  Chris Cloke, Communities 1st Volunteer