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Home/News/Rachel’s Story – Volunteers’ Week

Rachel’s Story – Volunteers’ Week

1st June 2019



Q: Why did you choose to become a volunteer?

A: I had free time on my hands and I wanted to do something useful with it. I had been looking for something like this for a long time, so I feel it was a bit of fate for me because I saw the advert for St John’s Hand in Hand in the paper, and I really enjoy working with older people. I’ve got a lot of experience with this in the past.

I think it’s a really rewarding role; you can make a real difference to people’s lives.

I’m from Eastleigh originally and trained to be a nurse in Leeds. After this I worked in London in Intensive Care Nursing. I did this for a while then went travelling for 8 months, and eventually got married. We then decided to return to the area, had children and my husband set up a business. I needed to be around more when the business was set up, but I missed working as a team and looking after and supporting people in this way so I signed up to join Hand in Hand as a volunteer.

The role looked absolutely perfect for me, and was just what I had been searching for.

We meet with the other volunteers regularly, and are clicking more and more each time we meet up and are getting to know each other’s personalities and stories. I feel this is the same with our scheme members.

Each time I visit my ladies, we bond more and we understand and trust each other. I made Welsh cakes for one of my scheme members for her birthday (she was Welsh) and the joy on her face was wonderful.

I actually volunteered a long time ago. I worked for a mental health charity in Leeds while I was training [for my degree]. I worked with a young person with Asperger’s. That was quite challenging, but it is such a rewarding thing to do.

Q: What have you found surprising about volunteering? Have you discovered anything new?

A: As a volunteer, I’ve found that it’s sometimes easier doing things for a person than it is for their family members. For example, one of my scheme members is distressed about how much she has in her house. It’s got to the point where she has clothes everywhere and has lots of piles on the floor, and she finds it difficult to manage. She has family and children, but they live abroad and live far away and all work – life is very busy – and I feel that sometimes relatives can even find it emotionally challenging to clear items. It’s not just about time, it can be a sentimental aspect, too. But physically she is unable to do this herself. I’m now spending two or three hours a week with her, going through her clothes. The time is going to come when she needs to fit items such as a walking frame or a commode in her room, which currently is not possible. If the room stayed the same this would be unsafe and hazardous.

I’m helping her to organise her bedroom, bag up and take clothes to the charity shop, and find new homes for some items.

The difference it has made… You can’t imagine. She can now shut her wardrobe. It’s the small things like this that mean the world to someone, even as simple as being able to shut a wardrobe can improve and bring back quality in your life.

Everything is so instant and automatic in society today. It can be isolating for older people, especially if they have limited mobility. You can feel rushed and a burden, worrying that you’re not going fast enough and you’re too slow. One of my scheme members feels like this, and it is a source of worry for her.

Something as simple as hiring a wheelchair for the day vastly improved her experience of having a day out. She was worrying less and, in fact, she hadn’t been out in the evening for ten years!

We often go to the theatre together now, as hiring a wheelchair has made this possible. It was an option that she didn’t think was available to her previously.

For some older people, they feel like all the doors are closed. As a volunteer, we open up new possibilities, and open new doors.

This blog post is part of national Volunteers’ Week (1st – 7th June 2019). #VolunteersWeek – get involved and #ShareYourStory!

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Past Events

  • Armistice Day celebrations at Moorside
  • Christmas Tea Party – 4th December 2019
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  • Founders Day – 23rd June 2019
  • Snowdon Fundraising Event – 22nd June 2019
  • Cupcake Day – 13th June 2019
  • Vintage Tea Party – 3rd June 2019
  • Dementia Action Week 20th – 26th May 2019
  • Winchester Chamber Music Festival Concert – 1st May 2019
  • Hand in Hand Office Opening – 15th March 2019
  • Camino de Santiago – 25th August – 29th September 2018
  • Emirates Spinnaker Tower Abseil – 11th August 2018
  • Strawberries & Cream Wimbledon Celebration
  • Moorside Summer Fete – 30th June 2018
  • Founders Day – 24th June 2018
  • Alzheimer’s Society Cupcake Day – 14th June 2018
  • Christmas is coming to St John’s!

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St John’s Winchester Ltd
32 St John’s South, The Broadway,
Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 9LN
Tel: 01962 854226
Email: office@stjohnswinchester.co.uk

Registered Charity No 1174290, Registered Company No 10903970

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A Message from St John's Winchester: COVID-19

The health, safety and wellbeing of residents, visitors, volunteers and staffing teams is of paramount importance to all of us at St John’s Winchester.

The safety, support and enjoyment of those who live and work at St John’s Moorside care home and the Almshouses, and those who work for and use the Hand in Hand service, are top priorities to us. 

We know how important it is to stay connected with your loved ones, especially during these difficult times. Did you know that St John’s Moorside specialist dementia care home facilitates safe, COVID-secure visits between residents and loved ones?

To read more on COVID-19, please visit our Coronavirus blog here. 

Our Increased Safety Measures:

  1. 1. Regular COVID-19 testing of staff & residents
  2. 2. Temperature checking
  3. 3. Full PPE provided
  4. 4. PPE stores regularly stocked & updated by our Facilities Manager
  5. 5. Social distancing in place (2m)
  6. 6. Thorough & enhanced cleaning across the sites
  7. 7. Welcoming new residents at the Almshouses and Moorside with extra safety measures
  8. 8. Safe visits taking place
  9. 9. Remote working for Office staff (where possible)
  10. 10. Regular, open communication with beneficiaries & their families

 

Face-to-Face Visits:

We welcome visitors for safe visits! Currently, these can be held in our dedicated COVID-secure visiting room or the garden. Please ensure you contact the home to find out more about the arrangements and to book a visiting time.

Virtual Visits:

Moorside has tablets and devices that are being used to support video calls between residents and family members.

Fun & Safe Activities:

At Moorside and the Almshouses, we are running regular events and activities to ensure the everyone’s mental and emotional wellbeing is supported. These are carried our safely and securely thanks to the hard work of our team members.

Supporting Our People:

We are passionate about our people and are constantly thinking of new and better ways to support them, their families, and their mental, physical and emotional wellbeing during the COVID-19 crisis. 

Need any help or support? Contact us today for more information. We are here to help.