Rosalind finds new purpose as a volunteer
When Rosalind retired as a chief officer for a charity six years ago, she soon began to miss the comradeship of being part of a team.
"When you work you have a role in life, which is good for your self-esteem. But when you retire there's a big gap. You look at your diary and suddenly it's empty. I see friends, look after my grandchildren and play bridge, but I wanted to do something really constructive" she says
Rosalind joined her local Good Neighbour scheme as a volunteer driver and found it so worthwhile that she then volunteered to join the committee too.
Making a difference and meeting new friends
There are over 100 Good Neighbour schemes across the county, most of which are supported by Surrey Community Action, providing community based support for people who need help with some of the basics of day-to-day living and arranging lifts for those who may not have easy access to transport.
The role involves helping older or vulnerable people by driving them to appointments. Volunteering with the schemes is flexible so Rosalind gives as much or as little time as she can.
"Joining the good neighbour scheme was a natural fit as I had worked with older people before in my job. It's so easy to fit driving jobs around my other commitments, and the committee only meets three times a year so that's manageable too" Rosalind explains. "I'm not old; I still have plenty of energy to do things. Joining my local Good Neighbour scheme has enabled me to meet people from all walks of life and I've really hit it off with some of my volunteer colleagues too."
Visit the Surrey Community Action website to find out more about your local Good Neighbour scheme.
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.
