Women on a mission

From helping in our retail shops to easing loneliness through our friendship services, every day thousands of Age UK volunteers generously donate their time to support older people across the country.

But for volunteers like Charlie, Judith and Coletta, the experience of giving back isn’t just making a difference to older people’s lives – it’s bringing joy to their own lives, too.

Charlie

I started volunteering for The Silver Line Helpline about 12 years ago, not long after the helpline first started. It’s available every day of the year to answer calls from older people who are feeling lonely or need support, and it’s my first proper experience of volunteering.

I was mainly a stay-at-home mum and freelancer for many years. Then as my children grew up and became less time-consuming, I found myself looking after my mother, who I cared for until she died. Afterwards, I realised I wanted to do something more to help older people.

A lot of my friends were volunteering for charities focused on children or animals, but older people seemed to be forgotten about. Having seen my mother, who used to be so forthright and strong, become more vulnerable as she got older, I wanted to help people in the same situation.

60% of the time people ring up and want to have a cosy chat about their lives and what they’ve watched on the TV – but there are also times when the callers are in real trouble. Those are the calls that stick with you. I’ve spoken to people who haven’t had any hot water, or who don’t know where they’re going to get their next meal. Thankfully we’ve been able to connect these callers up with the help they need, whether through their local council or through other Age UK services like the Advice Line.

What’s so rewarding is when somebody says they feel much better after the call or that you’ve cheered them up. There’s so much loneliness out there and it’s so toxic, especially as we get older and it gets harder to make friends. I knew that before I started, but it’s reconfirmed every time I do a shift. So, The Silver Line Helpline is an incredibly valuable chance to alleviate that loneliness and to make a difference to someone’s life. It’s a great feeling.

Judith

I’ve been volunteering for Age UK’s Connect and Support service since September, so I’m a bit of a newbie! The service helps signpost older people to other services and activities that will benefit them, and supports them along the way.

The thing that led me into it was that I lost my mum last year. She had Alzheimer’s, and we managed to help her stay in her own home for as long as possible with the help of a wonderful carer. But until Mum got ill, I had no knowledge of the care system, social services, benefits – any of it.

I remember calling Age UK because I didn’t know where to turn for help. The woman I spoke to was amazing and really patient. She pointed me towards getting Attendance Allowance, put me in touch with a local dementia group, and talked me through what to do next to get Mum the care she needed.

I learnt so much during that period. But when we lost Mum, I felt lost too. Mum had needed a lot of time and support, so when she was no longer around I thought: what do I do with myself now?

So, I started searching for volunteering opportunities – and my conversation with Age UK probably planted something in my head for a later date – because I found the Connect and Support service.

I’ve absolutely loved it so far. I came into it thinking: is it going to upset me? But it doesn’t at all. It boosts me. I really enjoy being part of the Connect and Support team. Everyone is so welcoming and encouraging, and even though I’ve never done anything like this before and sometimes feel a bit out of my comfort zone, I know the support is there for me.

Volunteering has given me such a sense of pride. I feel like I haven’t done very much sometimes – I might have just given someone a phone number – but they’re so happy and grateful. It’s lovely being able to help somebody you don’t even know, and I hope they’re benefitting from the calls as much as I am.

Coletta

I’ve been volunteering with the Telephone Friendship Service for about 10 years, and about 5 years with The Silver Line Helpline.

I’ve been an active volunteer throughout my life. I’ve spent time helping disabled children, and for a long time I was a trustee for a Kenyan charity supporting girls’ education – a subject I’m really passionate about. But I’ve always been concerned about loneliness and how it impacts older people, and it seems that people have become more and more isolated lately.

So I reached out to the Telephone Friendship Service, and I’ve been speaking to both of my current telephone friends – Mary* and Reg* – for a number of years.

One of the joys of speaking to them is how different they both are. Reg likes to talk about music and his eventful past life. I think he appreciates me as a regular presence in his life, because he doesn’t have much family. He’s such a lovely man.

Then I speak to Mary every Sunday without fail – we even kept it up when I went travelling to New Zealand for three months! We’re a similar age, have got to know each other pretty well and seem to be on a similar wavelength. Our conversations have evolved over time, and during our chats I don’t feel like a volunteer doing a service. I just feel that Age UK facilitated us becoming mates, and now I get to enjoy a really special and lovely friendship with someone I’ve never actually met.

Volunteering also helps me to feel part of something bigger. One of the challenges when you give up work or when your children grow up and leave home is that you’re used to being busy, and then your main activity in life just disappears. But with volunteering, you feel useful again.

We’re all citizens and we’re all connected, after all, so I think we all need to give and to do something – however small. It can change a person's life. And you’ll probably get as much out of it as the people you’re helping.

*Names have been changed to protect individuals' privacy.