I retired from work thirty years ago, and when I stopped working I wanted to do something to contribute to a charity. I decided that I hadn’t got a lot of money to start throwing about so the best thing to do would be to go and volunteer at one.
Someone told me that North Craven Age UK, or Age Concern as it was then, had just started up and was wanting people to help out. I thought to myself, ‘Right, go on!’ and so I went in to see them. In that day you had to have someone to back you, and I had the vicar to back me, and pretty soon I started volunteering there.
That was back when it was first started, and there was next to no-one volunteering there. It meant you really had to do all sorts – over the time I’ve volunteered there, I reckon I’ve done just about everything at some time or other!
It’s got much bigger over the years, but what hasn’t changed is that you can still go and enjoy yourself. So many different people have come and worked there over the years, I’ve met all kinds of people – and it’s just like a little family. We’ve gone on trips, done things together – it’s been a really happy place to spend time.
