Today’s featured volunteer is Linda Clarke who is a telephone befriender for one lady and a visiting befriender for another. I have been a volunteer for Sight Concern for 18 months, as a telephone befriender for one lady and a visitor for another. Having given up full time work at the start of covid, I wanted to volunteer with Sight Concern in particular, as it was a service much appreciated by my late father who was registered blind and lived alone. I could see how the friendships he made and access to important aids through Sight Concern helped enable him to remain independent in his own home.
Being a volunteer can be a vital link to the outside world for many people suffering with sight loss. In return it is a great way to create new friendships with other volunteers and the people you are matched with. If you are thinking of volunteering but are worried about chatting to complete strangers, rest assured, that is exactly how I felt before I started. In reality, conversation has never been an issue and time just flies by. Training is offered by Sight Concern, and they can give you conversation tips and ideas to help you get started.
Both my contacts are lovely ladies in their 80’s who live alone and suffer some sight loss. We seem to find plenty to chat and laugh about and I enjoy hearing tales of their interesting lives and families. The lady I visit is quite mobile, so we have enjoyed National Trust and garden center visits, walks around local villages, shopping and we usually manage to fit in café visit for a pot of tea and cake. When we cannot get out, we might stay in and play scrabble, look at photographs and even write out Christmas cards, or just sit and chat.
If you would like to know more about joining our team of Sight Concern Worcestershire volunteers see our Volunteering section or if you or someone you know is going through sight loss and would like to know about the support and guidance we offer please contact Jo Webber 01905 723 245 email info@sightconcern.co.uk.
