We all know that often it’s the smallest things that can make the biggest difference to our lives. For many, help with the shopping, a lift to a doctor’s appointment or just a chat over a cup of tea can make days easier and brighter.
In Cuckfield, Lindfield, Scaynes Hill and across Mid Sussex, Good Neighbours CARE has been providing friendly and practical support for residents for many years. This year marks the charity’s 40th birthday and along with lots of celebrations in the pipeline, Good Neighbours CARE has set itself the goal of recruiting forty new volunteers who are willing to lend a helping hand to neighbours in need.
Whilst the charity has always been blessed with many volunteers who selflessly give up their precious time to help others, the demand for its services is ever increasing. So, what motivates people to volunteer for Good Neighbours CARE? Cuckfield’s Miranda Grainger has been volunteering for the charity since 2018 and heads up the befriending service which assesses clients and then matches them with volunteers for visiting. Miranda visits several clients and shops for them too. She also takes her clients to medical appointments. For Miranda volunteering at Good Neighbour CARE has so many benefits. “I know what a difference I make by visiting the lonely. My clients are incredibly grateful, and I always try to leave them with a smile on their face. I have heard so many wonderful stories about their lives.” Miranda has developed strong bonds with her clients over the years. She adds, “I was asked to do a reading at a client’s funeral, and I was so overwhelmingly touched that the family recognised the importance of my friendship with their loved one.”
Her volunteering has also brought about a new addition to her family – Pickle, a 19-year-old cat, who needed to be re-homed. “Pickle has been enjoying her retirement home with me for the last 2 years!” Angela Holroyd, a retired nurse has been volunteering with Good Neighbour CARE for seven years. She remembers chatting to a friend who told her that many patients were missing their medical appointments simply because they had no means of getting themselves to their surgeries. Having some spare time on her hands, Angela started to volunteer with the charity. She’s also one of the charity’s Duty Officers – a team responsible for manning the busy telephone lines. “I particularly love my conversations with clients as I’m driving them to their doctor or hospital appointments. I’d recommend volunteering to anyone and everyone – if you care about your community and its people, you should give us a call.” Angela adds. Debbie Schlup ‘s mum was the reason Debbie joined Good Neighbours CARE. “My mum would regularly help out in charity shops, so when I saw the opportunity to help others through Good Neighbour CARE, I jumped at the chance,” she recalls. Debbie’s been volunteering for nine years and as the charity’s Volunteer Secretary, she’s responsible for on boarding new volunteers.
According to Debbie, giving such a small amount of time means so much to the clients: “It seems like very little to me and yet our clients tell me that they’d be lost without us,” she adds. Good Neighbours Care has made a huge difference to the life of Cuckfield resident Darren Dwyer, who relies on the volunteers to get him to and from his doctor and hospital appointments. Before reaching out to the charity, Darren was missing appointments as taxi fares were expensive. “Good Neighbours CARE has been brilliant. It has changed my life,” Darren says. If it wasn’t for the charity, I would have missed an emergency X-ray. And having a volunteer to take me to my appointments does wonders for my mental health meaning I am less anxious and less worried about how I’m going to get there.”
Nancy Towner echoes Darren’s sentiments. She has been a client for the last nine years. “The most important thing about Good Neighbours CARE is that I can always rely on its volunteers and that gives me so much peace of mind,” Nancy explains. According to Christina Chelmick, Good Neighbours CARE’s Chair, “We are blessed with so many committed volunteers and yet the truth is that we need more. I have been involved with the charity since the start, but we are looking especially for younger volunteers who, full of fresh and new ideas, will guarantee we continue for another forty years and even longer!
So, if you have some spare time in your busy lives and you want to give something back to the Cuckfield community and beyond, we’d love to hear from you.” For more information, call 01444 455955 or visit: www.careinhaywardsheath.co.uk