Ever since it was founded in 1956, Abbeyfield has benefitted from the dedication of its many committed and caring volunteers who enhance the lives of the thousands of older people who call Abbeyfield their home.
Richard Carr-Gomm OBE, our founder, was our first volunteer, and his values proudly underpin a 21st century Abbeyfield. Today, we support thousands of residents in 500 houses in eight countries worldwide, through our network of care and nursing homes, sheltered housing schemes and independent living complexes, which provide a range of different options for older people to live independent, socially active and fulfilling lives, according to their needs.
Richard Carr-Gomm resigned from his post in the Coldstream Guards in 1955 to become a home help volunteer, and quickly realised that the people he was looking after were often lonely. He spent his army gratuity on the first Abbeyfield House in Bermondsey, East London, which accommodated four older people living together, giving them a home where security and companionship went hand-in-hand. The reputation of the house quickly grew, with more money raised and houses being bought, and before long the organisation became a registered charity operating a variety of houses for older people around the UK.
International Volunteer Day, on 5th December each year, provides an annual opportunity for us to recognise the contribution our volunteers make. Abbeyfield’s many Member Societies – each of whom are independently managed, and of which Abbeyfield Living Society (ALS) is the largest in terms of the number of properties it manages and the number of residents it supports – will be holding a number of thank-you events for the volunteers who generously give their time to enrich the services they provide for their residents. Hampton House independent living complex in Solihull has already held their event, where volunteer Carole Page was singled out for hosting the weekly coffee morning and quiz, which the residents could not do without.
ALS offers a variety of volunteering opportunities within its services, ranging from one-off support with events to long-term regular roles, and many of its volunteers come from the local communities around the services and from residents’ families.
For example, at Carnarvon House sheltered housing scheme in Nottingham, Sarah Selby, the daughter of a current resident, helps to ensure all residents can maintain their independence, accompanying them on visits to local events, amenities and attractions. She also makes sure that all the information for prospective residents is up-to-date and well organised, so that they and their loved ones can make an informed decision when thinking about moving in.
Sally Haylock’s husband was a resident at Westall House, and although he is no longer a resident there, Sally still volunteers all year round in the garden of the dementia wing, which she has transformed into a sensory paradise. Such has been her contribution that residents chose to put a plaque on the wall that reads, ‘Sally’s Garden’.
ALS also encourages residents to get involved in the running of their home by volunteering themselves, for example planning activities or running the on-site shop. Jean Moss, a resident at Burnham Court sheltered housing scheme in Malmesbury, has helped with the weekly coffee mornings and other ad hoc activities for the past seven years. It is clear that volunteering has a positive effect on residents’ wellbeing, with Jean’s favourite elements being “satisfaction and seeing other people enjoying themselves.”
ALS staff are similarly encouraged to volunteer, with employees given two paid days per year to volunteer alongside their colleagues, either at an Abbeyfield service or another charity. For example, the marketing team from the Abbeyfield head office volunteered for a day over the summer at Pratt House care home in Amersham, helping to transform the garden into a beach so that the residents (for whom a trip to the coast would not be practical) could have a seaside experience in their own backyard.
Becoming an Abbeyfield volunteer can be especially rewarding and will make a real difference to older people’s lives. Abbeyfields around the country are always on the lookout for new volunteers to take up a variety of roles, including trusteeships, repairs and maintenance, befriending, activities coordinators, providing transport for residents’ medical and other appointments, and many more.
We are taking this opportunity, on International Volunteer Day, to thank all Abbeyfield volunteers, whatever their role, for the ability they give us to enhance our services for older people and the difference they make to our residents’ lives.
If you have any time to spare, even just an hour or two per month, we would love to hear from you. Please email volunteering@abbeyfield.com, or call our Volunteering Officer, Paul, on 07781 338 165, to see how you can join Abbeyfield Living Society and how you can enhance the quality of life for older people in your community, or visit our volunteering page to find out more.
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