Christine Thompson

What is your volunteer role/s with Age UK Wakefield District?

I am a Befriender, and I also Volunteer as a Befriending Service Support Volunteer

If someone asked you what you do in your role with us, what would you tell them, could you give us a brief description?

I contact my 3 Befriending clients and speak to each of them every week for around 1 hour.

I also ring Befriending Service clients to review their relationships with their volunteer befrienders, and record the information they supply me with into a computerized database system, I report this back to the Befriending Service, and attend regular service meetings, I work closely with the Befriending Team.

How long have you been volunteering with us?

I started in September 2019.

What made you want to volunteer with us?

I had recently retired and found myself with lots of time on my hands.  I also lost my Mam and felt I needed to do something to keep myself busy and to help me move on. So I decided to contact AGE UK Wakefield District and started as a Home Visit Befriender.

What is the best part of your role?

I think it is when you hear your client laugh, and they tell me they really look forward to my phone call.  I feel I make a difference to their lives, well I hope I do!

What would you say is the hardest part of your role?

The hardest part was when one of my clients passed away; I had not been able to see her for a while because of lockdown and I knew she missed my visits. 

I find it really hard when one of my clients tells me she doesn’t see anyone all day except her Carer in the morning, and she wishes I could visit her.  It is difficult not being able to do more for her at this time.

Is there a particular moment or story that sticks out from your time volunteering with us?

Yes, on visiting one of my Befriending clients, I found that there was an ambulance at the door, she had been taken ill.  The ambulance driver asked her if she would go in his ambulance with him and she asked him if he was chatting her up and told him he had no chance.  It really mad us all laugh.

If someone told you they were interested in volunteering at Age UK Wakefield District, what advice or encouragement would you offer?

I would tell them that in my opinion it is a fantastic role to play in people’s lives and that they would get a sense of achievement from it.

How easy did you find the process of applying to volunteer with us through to getting started in your role?

I found it very easy indeed.  I contacted the office and spoke with the Volunteer Manager Tracey, we arranged to meet up for a coffee and an introductory chat,  and from that moment I felt I belonged to a brilliant organisation.  I had my induction and I was off.  Best thing I had done for a long time.