'It was a comfort for his sons to know I'd been there for him'
The man Shenalee was befriending sadly died of Covid-19 but she was able to support his sons who live abroad, and celebrate their father's life together
'It was incredibly sad when Ronny* passed away but I am glad I was put in contact with his two sons who are both in different countries.
'They kindly invited me to a celebration on a live video conference with more members of their family from around the world. It was an amazing feeling to have been able to share the stories of mine and Ronny’s adventures over the last 7 months.
'And they were truly thankful to know their father had constantly talked about them and other members of the family and it was amazing to see their faces light up when I could say,"Yes - I know of you!" or "Ronny mentioned this time when the two of you did this".
'Ronny was an incredible man, who had no family in the country, and I have great memories of our time together - grocery shopping, enjoying coffee shops and shoe shopping!
'He was such a warm hearted person who would interact with everyone he passed, be it with a smile, a small greeting or a little exchange in a local supermarket while looking for the perfect tomatoes.
'When I was talking to Ronny's family in the video chat I couldn't stop thinking about how much he would love to have been involved, but I know he was smiling, thinking about his family all talking about the old days and most importantly that he was able to bring them together.'
Why did you start volunteering for us?
I have been lucky enough to know and spend time with three of my grandparents (Shenalee pictured above with her two grandmothers) which is why I was drawn to befriending for Age UK Barnet.
'I've always had a big space in my heart for children and the elderly and if you can do something to help the world around you, why wouldn't you?'
'I'm also a big believer in time being the most valuable commodity. I've always wanted to do more giving back, and when I researched Age UK Barnet, it seemed perfect. I maintain a full time job, so the flexibility was perfect.
What are you doing now?
I still support the befriending team during covid-19 and have recently been shopping for older people who are not able to leave their homes.
I still support the befriending team during covid-19 and have recently been shopping for older people who are not able to leave their homes.
What has volunteering taught you?
I volunteer because it continuously teaches me something new about people, about cooperation, about compassion and about myself. In helping others I am reminded that we are all in this together and we need to remember to support each other. Life has so much to offer if we remember to look beyond ourselves.
A simple conversation can be life changing to a person, no matter their age, more so in the isolated elderly. I love a good chat, and love to make people smile.
*Name has been changed