Ruth has been volunteering at Pickering for two years now, having been told about us by a friend.
“I’d got to the point where I’d retired from my role as a nurse and my grandchildren were all grown-up,” says Ruth. “I didn’t want to sit around and do nothing – so volunteering at Pickering fills that space. I absolutely love being a volunteer here, it’s such a kind, warm and friendly place.”
“Sometimes somebody will come in here worried or upset, we’ll sit down and have a chat and a cup of tea with them and they’ll leave with a smile on their face. Pickering really is like a ‘great big hug’ and provides a safe space for our visitors, making them feel comfortable and wanted. Sometimes it’s not easy to open up to friends and family and it’s easier to talk to somebody on ‘the outside’; the whole team here is amazing.”
Ruth is on our bank of volunteers and is happy to come in ‘at short notice’ if she’s needed. She says our volunteer therapists are ‘all amazing’.
“It’s wonderful how they give up their time to volunteer at Pickering,” she says. “You can see our visitors look visibly more relaxed after a session of say reflexology. It helps them so much.”
Ruth adds that volunteering with Pickering ‘gives me as much back as I have given’.
“It’s such a comfort to know that I’ve been there for somebody, listened to them and helped them,” she says. “It’s truly uplifting in the Centre and we talk about anything and everything.”