VOLUNTEERS who support veterans have spoken about the joy they get from helping others.
To mark Volunteers Week, which ran from June 1 to 7, those who dedicate their time to the Royal Star and Garter shared their experience.
Royal Star and Garter is a charity which cares for veterans and their families living with disability or dementia.
Romayne Instone found volunteering as a lunch club host helped with her grief following the loss of husband Paul, who was a resident at the Tudor Coppice home for two years before his death in 2022.
Lunch Club is one of the Royal Star and Garter services for those living in its community, helping tackle loneliness and isolation over a nutritious meal and friendly chats
Romayne said: “The food is really good, and I like meeting people and spending time with them. I’m a sociable person and I’m happy talking to anyone. So when someone new joins I make sure to chat to them, make them feel comfortable and make them realise there is nothing to worry about.
“Lunch Club has helped me grieve. I don’t know how long grief goes on for, but I’ve found coming back to the Home, and being with people who knew and loved Paul, helps me greatly. I always look forward to it.”
Roohi is a Telephone Friendship Service (TFS) volunteer, a support line for veterans who feel lonely or isolated.
She is a trained pharmacist who has worked in the NHS, private sector, as a university lecturer and at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) as a civilian leading the tri-service and pharmacy training.
She said: “The role of a TFS Friend appealed to me on many levels. Given my links to the MoD, I thought it might be nice to speak to a veteran. I would be fascinated to know about their military history and hopefully they might be interested to know about mine.
“I’ve volunteered throughout my life, for no other reason than an ingrained belief in me that if you are able to, and have capacity, you should try and volunteer for a noble cause. From a more selfish point, it makes me feel better about myself.”
Volunteers Week is an annual UK-wide campaign held to celebrate and recognise the contributions of volunteers.
Shirley Hall, director of care and wellbeing at the charity, said: “Volunteers play a vital role in enriching the lives of our residents. From stimulating activities like scrabble and music to meaningful one-to-one conversations, they help foster wellbeing, independence, and a sense of purpose. The positive impact they have on residents’ emotional and social health cannot be overstated.”
To find out more about volunteering click here.
