12 stories of Christmas - Day Eight

This festive season, we’re bringing you 12 stories of Christmas. These stories tell of the amazing things that the Age UK Notts staff, volunteers, funders, and you have done to support older people across Notts & Nottinghamshire this year.

Day 8 – Volunteering  –  Good for the soul

What makes a good volunteer?

Two of our volunteer befrienders Helen & Jen share their thoughts on Volunteering.What makes a good volunteer and how “giving something back” makes them feel good as well as the people they befriend.

“ The reason I started was I didn’t want anyone to be lonely”

– Jen - Befriending Volunteer

“It’s good for the soul - you feel like you’re giving something back”

- Helen - Befriending Volunteer

The difference our volunteers make to the lives of local older people:

Help them feel less lonely 

Help them maintain their independence 

Help improve their quality of life  

Help them become digitally included

Help older men to socialise, and experience the camaraderie of working with other men via our Men in Sheds projects

Help us provide excellent services to make sure that we can support as many local older people as possible

Age UK Notts will provide:

The opportunity to make a difference

Induction and appropriate training for you

Ongoing support from a named member of staff so you always have someone to talk things through with

Reimbursement for travel expenses so you are never out of pocket for getting to and from your volunteering

Opportunities to meet other volunteers and staff members

Flexibility around what you can do, not what you can’t so that you can volunteer as well as having a busy lifestyle

You can find out more about how you can volunteer by visiting our website:

Volunteer with Age UK Notts | Age UK Nottingham & Nottinghamshire