Phil Charrington is retired and volunteers for Team Caterham
How did you first get involved in volunteering?
"I worked as a fireman for 30 years and during my days off used to help out at my daughter's school, volunteering at events. 31 years on, I still help out at the school and now volunteer for Team Caterham as well."
Can you tell us a bit about Team Caterham?
"Team Caterham was started two years ago and it's a great way for people in the local area to get involved in the community on a really flexible basis. Anyone can sign up to be part of the team. Once signed up, you receive emails about upcoming volunteering opportunities and can go along to as many or as few of them as you want."
In what ways do Team Caterham volunteers help the local community?
"We mainly help out at events such as the Caterham Festival, a six week festival with over 100 events. Often we'll do things like stewarding, but it's really varied. Last year volunteers from Team Caterham were also involved in an evacuation training session, which will help the community to be prepared in the event of an emergency."
Can anyone get involved?
"Anyone can sign up to be part of Team Caterham. My daughter is part of the team and has less time at the moment, as she's just had a baby – people can just get involved as and when they can or want to."
What do you find most rewarding about being a volunteer?
"It's the feeling of wellbeing you get from it. It's great to feel that you're being useful and is really good for your self-esteem."
To find out more about Team Caterham, contact the Caterham Volunteer Centre on 01883 344444 or via caterhamvc@tvsc.org.uk.
To speak to someone about volunteering where you live, get in touch with your local Volunteer Centre.
Thinking about volunteering in your retirement but not sure where to start? Check out our guide which has everything you need to know about volunteering in retirement and why you should give it a try.
