Volunteer Stories – Barwell & Hollycroft Surgery

Volunteers’ Week – It’s a chance to say thank you for the contribution millions of volunteers make across the UK and a great way to recognise and thank all our volunteers, for all the amazing things they’re doing to help us make a difference.

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Barwell and Hollycroft surgery – Telephone Befrienders.

The organisation has been running for around 3 years now and in that time a great number of changes have taken place.  Our numbers have risen and these brilliant volunteers are looking after 47 vulnerable people with a regular phone call in the Hinckley and Bosworth area.

VAL and the Borough Council continue to provide volunteers who want to be part of what we are doing and for this we are very grateful.

At the beginning of the Pandemic the big issue was food and medication and working in partnership with Dial a Ride, we were able to distribute bread from the local Co-op as well as food parcels from HBBC and the food bank.  As collaboration and systems improved we have been working on activities to enable conversations to continue as topics were beginning to dry up as the pandemic progressed – nobody was going out so little to talk about.

We had Sunflower projects – we provided pots, compost and seeds.  Knitting squares for dog blankets (see picture) – we provided wool and needles for this.  Working closely with the Social Prescribers and Local Area Coordinators we have been able to target problems that Befriendees had. Trying to ensure their mental state remained stable.

The volunteers have worked hard in keeping conversations going and we are looking forwarded to getting involved with Post COVID activities which will bring some of our most vulnerable people out of their homes into a safe environment where they can engage once again with people around them.

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