Malcolm Cameron, 85 year old Age UK Exeter volunteer helps older people claim over £2m in care benefits.

Malcolm Cameron is 85-year-old volunteer who has secured over £2m worth of care benefits for older people living with dementia and physical disabilities through our Information and Advice service at  Age UK Exeter.

Older than many of the people he advises, over the course of 5 years, he’s notched up 1,000 visits to older people in Exeter and the surrounding area. Working four afternoons a week, he helps them untangle the benefits and services for which they and their loved ones are eligible, particularly helping people to apply for Attendance Allowance, a non-means tested benefit based on the individual’s care needs.

“I do it because it stops me sitting at home, staring out of the window and feeling useless,” says Malcolm whose wife passed away five years ago. “Supporting older people isn’t a particularly glamorous cause. There’s no drama or rescues, and no one likes to think about getting old, but the services Age UK Exeter provides are none-the-less life-changing and I am proud to be doing this work.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Malcolm spent his career firstly as a Headteacher at various special needs schools and then took early retirement to sail to the Caribbean with his wife, settling on the island of Carriacou and running a yacht charter and villa rental business. He’s one of a team of 14 volunteers in our Information and Advice Service.

Martyn Rogers, our Chief Executive said: “Malcolm’s achievements are outstanding. He contacted us five years ago asking if we could use any of his skills. He’s run schools and businesses in his time so we jumped at the chance to enlist him in our Information and Advice Team. What we didn’t anticipate is that he would approach it like a full-time job and would achieve such incredible success for our clients! He’s also a shining example for Age UK of how age is no barrier to being active, engaged in the world and making an outstanding contribution to the community.

“Volunteers are the lifeblood of our organisation. Malcolm is right - we don’t do dramatic rescues or glamorous work. But everyone will get old and that can bring some real challenges for individuals and their families. Age UK Exeter is here to help local older people get the most from life and with all the pressure on public services we’ve never been more needed.”

Thank you Malcolm for all of your help!

To find out more about volunteering, how you can help, or the services we offer visit www.ageukexeter.org.uk