Linda's story
Linda, our Community Volunteer for High Littleton and the surrounding areas, shares her experience of getting support from The Carers' Centre and why she became a Community Volunteer.
Linda began her journey with The Carers' Centre by joining our carer community. We supported her over 5 years as she cared for her parents. She shares her experience.
"Caring for someone is both rewarding and at times exhausting. I first came across The Carers’ Centre whilst attending a dementia course for relatives and carers run by the Research Institute for the Care of Older People (RICE) at the Royal United Hospital in Bath (RUH). One of the sessions involved a member of staff from The Carers’ Centre who talked about their work, recognising our caring role and the support they were able to provide."
Linda accessed a variety of services to help her locate local support services, to help her take some time for herself and to support her during a difficult time when her dad sadly passed away.
"Knowing The Carers’ Centre was always there, with people who understood all that caring involves was so reassuring."
Now, 2 years on Linda is in a position where she is able to volunteer a few hours a week alongside her job to help support our mission as a Community Volunteer.
She is helping us ensure unpaid carers are visible and valued in her local area.
"Our role is to engage with our local community and acknowledge and identify unpaid carers. We raise awareness about The Carers’ Centre and the supportive work that they are responsible for locally."
“I’ve been talking to some brilliant organisations in my local area to ask if they’d like to know more about The Carers’ Centre. The response has been so fantastic – lots of people are keen to learn more and help spread the word. I’ve been able share my own experiences as a carer to help explain the vital support The Carers’ Centre offers.”
"I am only too pleased to pay back some of the support that I have received by becoming a volunteer"
Since starting the role, Linda has been meeting people from various organisations, groups and clubs and has used her own experiences to educate people about unpaid care.
From equipping people with vital information to attending local fairs, she has been enjoying helping others in her community.
“I have given out supplies of posters or leaflets if an organisation wants something on display for local people and I even had a stall at a fair in High Littleton in the summer. Not only was it a fun day, it was also a great place to chat to people who look after their loved ones, or knew someone who did.”
Reflecting on the time she’s given to be Community Volunteer so far, Linda has found the experience hugely rewarding.
“If someone was considering becoming a volunteer for The Carers’ Centre, I would wholeheartedly recommend it. You can fit it around your schedule, and you’ll meet some great people. All in all, it’s been really satisfying to educate my community about a charity close to my heart.”
If you are interested in becoming a Volunteer Carer Champion and joining Linda and our enthusiastic team, please get in touch: volunteer@banescarerscentre.org.uk
Your involvement and knowledge of your local community would be invaluable!
Considering volunteering with us?
Whether you can give the odd hour here or there, or can commit to a more regular role, there are many opportunities to get involved with The Carers’ Centre.
