Volunteering in Sussex: How charities dealt with the pandemic and how you can get involved

Results published in its Time Well Spent report in July 2022 found that there was an impact on volunteer management, organisation and experience.

The fourth and final instalment of the reports complement the main survey of over 10,000 adults in Great Britain published in 2019.

Jolian Ardolino, Alzheimer’s Society area manager for Surrey, Sussex and Kent, said: “Volunteers are active in every part of Alzheimer’s Society work from campaigning and fundraising, to delivering services and taking part in research. To ensure the charity continued to provide online and telephone support for people affected by dementia throughout the Covid pandemic, it adapted the delivery of its services and established welfare calls, companion calls and virtual groups. This also changed the way Alzheimer’s Society’s volunteers supported people affected by dementia, with many taking on roles to deliver these new services.”

Between April 2020 and March 2021, more than 1,300 Alzheimer’s Society volunteers supported the charity’s companion calls service.

Carol Hodghton from Horsham is part of the companion call team in Sussex.

She said: “I joined Alzheimer’s Society as a volunteer 12 years ago and when Covid-19 broke out, I got involved with companion calls and had four people with dementia assigned to me. I spoke to them every Wednesday for more than two years, sometimes for 45 minutes to an hour.

“One woman told me how wonderful it was to receive my calls because she was struggling and heard from me more than her own family. Another gentleman told me it was the only thing he looked forward to each week. It gave them comfort knowing there was someone on the other end of the line who cared and listened to their problems. It is heart-warming to know you can put a smile on someone’s face that you have never met in person."

Where there is local capacity and demand, Alzheimer’s Society has resumed one to one, face-to-face dementia support and advice services as well as maintaining some of its virtual offerings across the UK.

At the Alzheimer’s Society and people can choose to donate as much time as they would like. Each volunteering role will have its own requirements and responsibilities. Every volunteer is provided with a tailored induction, training, development and ongoing support.

Tallulah Hyde is volunteer and community assistant at Petworth House and Park.

Volunteers are involved in all areas of the property from welcoming visitors to tending to the gardens.

She said: “Many of our volunteers find it rewarding to know that they have helped to bring Petworth alive for our visitors – be it through sharing their knowledge of the art, providing a warm welcome, driving visitors through the gardens on the mobility buggy, supporting in our shop, assisting with our events programme, delivering a tour, or helping to conserve the collection.”

The property is currently looking for room guide volunteers and visitor welcome volunteers.

Hospices Chestnut Tree House and St Barnabas House depend on hundreds of volunteers, who help in various ways, from supporting patients directly, to working in charity shops or cheering on participants at fundraising events across the county.

Wendy Bardsley, head of voluntary services at St Barnabas and Chestnut Tree House, said: “There is no greater gift someone can give to another person than time. Every day we have is precious and that so many volunteers choose to donate their time to help others through our volunteering opportunities is something that we cherish at the hospices.

“I hope that every volunteer, knows how much we value their commitment to the work we do together, helping people every day. There are lots of ways you can get involved and show your support for children, adults, and their families in your local community.”

One volunteer role that St Barnabas House hospice is currently recruiting for is their community companions service.

Community Companions are volunteers who provide social and practical support to patients and their carers who may feel isolated. This might involve spending a couple of hours chatting with a patient in their home over a cup of tea or popping out to the shops together.

It’s suitable for someone who is reliable, a good listener and has two to three hours during the working week to spare on a regular basis.

The role does not involve providing any clinical care or advice but befriending and offering social support.

Full training is given, and the hospice currently have lots of patients in the Adur area who need support.

Gill, a St Barnabas House patient said: “To begin with, my community companion visited me in my home, and we chatted and had some tea and coffee. I very much enjoyed our first visit and it’s only got better as time has gone on. We chat about everything – and nothing! I am always amazed to think that community companions are volunteers. To give up time to help someone else is commendable and I am grateful to them, as well as St Barnabas House for organising the programme.”

At East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust there are 350 active volunteers. The numbers reduced during Covid as the trust paused a number of volunteer roles and some chose not to come in for personal reasons.

This is something that the Time Well Spent survey found, with the major barrier to volunteering during the pandemic being a risk to health.

Stuart Green, from the Trust, said: “Volunteering offers help to people in need, worthwhile causes, and the community in general, but the benefits are just as meaningful for the volunteer. The right match can help people find greater social connectivity, support mental and physical health, engage with the community, learn new skills as well as develop current ones, build self-esteem and confidence and provide an opportunity to improve career prospects or the chance to try out a new career path without making a long-term commitment.”

The opportunities to make a difference are endless.

For more information:

Alzheimer’s Society – alzheimers.org.uk

St Barnabas Hospice – www.stbh.org.uk/volunteer

Chestnut Tree House – www.chestnut.org.uk/volunteer

Petworth House – www.nationaltrust.org.uk/volunteer

If you’re not sure what role you’d like to do, you can email [email protected] or call 01798 342207

HAVE YOU READ: Staff share what it is like to work at National’s Trust Petworth House