Written by one of our volunteers:
After trying out a wide range of volunteering roles, Rod was encouraged and uplifted by the many acts of kindness he encountered with people in the Hertfordshire community, who give up their time for the less fortunate. A resident of Welwyn Garden City, Rod first became involved as a volunteer within the Welwyn & Hatfield Community & Voluntary Service, after previously working as a trustee for a Mental Health Charity. From here, other roles steadily evolved.
The pandemic meant voluntary services had never been more needed, so Rod soon began helping with things like delivering doctors' prescriptions and collecting shopping. He was "happy to be a minion" - as he puts it! This later led to his signing up as a volunteer with Communities 1st and to a 'telephone befriending' role. He was connected with a gentleman struggling with bereavement and an elderly lady with hearing difficulties.
With his professional background in a recruitment company, it became evident that Rod's vetting skills could also be put to good use, and he became a 'Volunteer Broker'. This role is one of 'matchmaking’ where Rod assigned volunteer ‘befrienders’ to compatible clients in the area who were seeking a comforting connection. Not so much 'Love Island' as 'Kind County'.
Although enjoying retirement with his wife and family, where he travels, cooks, gardens, reads, and regularly searches for his golf balls, Rod still gains huge satisfaction from his involvement in volunteering work. He commends Communities 1st as a 'great' organisation - and recommends it to anyone who has a kind heart.
Written by Don Ramsay (Volunteer)