Brian has been volunteering for almost 15 years. He started his volunteering journey with Citizens Advice in Rayleigh. He now volunteers with New Steps Bereavement Group in Rayleigh.
Here’s his story:
“I spent all of my working life in the Financial Services industry giving advice to both individuals and companies. Whilst I was looking forward to retirement, I still wanted to remain active and continue to have a sense of purpose. I looked for Volunteering roles where I could still try to utilise some of my working knowledge but also try to be of help, in some way, to people in my local community.
I initially volunteered for Citizens Advice in Rayleigh. It was sometimes difficult to see people who were often very worried about the problem that they had and the position that they now found themselves. But after discussing their issues and outlining possible solutions you could physically see the stress disappearing from their face and the weight that they had lifting from their shoulders.
I now volunteer for the New Steps Bereavement Group in Rayleigh. The people who come to the group have lost a family member and are, often for the very first time, facing things in life alone. For some we at the Group may be the only people they will see from week to week. This can be a very daunting & upsetting time. However, a chat over a cup of tea to look at a bill or some confusing paperwork that needs attending too can make a huge difference to their lives.
I get great sense of purpose and wellbeing knowing that I may have made a small positive difference to someone’s life. It is also good to feel that you are helping people, who may also become friends, in your local community. Just a very small act of kindness or a little bit of help can be of huge importance to the recipient. So although there isn’t any monetary benefit in Volunteering, the rewards that you get in other ways are enormous.”
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