I just want to thank you again for giving me the opportunity to meet Margaret and for all your support along the way.

I started catching up with Margaret in January 2025. My intention was to take up some gentle volunteering that would satisfy my need to reconnect to the community and socialise with people. Having taken a break from the workforce for some time I felt that volunteering for the ACVVS volunteer program would be a great fit for my needs and also help people suffering isolation and loneliness too.

Upon meeting Margaret I quickly saw that she had a life story to tell and a great need to share it with someone. We continued to learn about each other for a couple of months then began taking outings into town. We started with quiet lunches and eventually found a cafe that had lovely staff and would look forward to our Thursday visits. This eventually grew to adding on a library visit.

Margaret and I became close friends once our outings started and she would often say how they had “brought her back to life”. This gave me immense joy and purpose. I looked forward every week to see Margaret. She had a wicked sense of humour and a genuine interest in me. She inspired and encouraged me to take up ballroom dancing lessons which I have engaged in for the past 3 months, giving Margaret weekly updates of my progress!

Unfortunately, I have moved an hour away from Margaret and had to cease weekly visits. This was a very hard decision to make as she brings so much joy and excitement to my week. Margaret and I continue to be friends and talk on the phone often and make time to catch up once a month.

This program gives so much to both the client and the volunteer and I would recommend it to anyone thinking about stepping into a volunteer role. Come with an open mind and a willingness to share and laugh with your client.

My volunteer coordinator, Nalina, was an ongoing support for me during my time with Margaret. As we know, people have all types of stories from their life and at times where I thought I was out of my depth to support Margaret, Nalina was on the phone to me, email and taking my feedback seriously, even brainstorming in meetings with her colleagues to better support my visits at tricky times. Nalina always treated me with dignity and respect. She has restored my faith in bosses and I now know that it is definitely possible to work in a safe, supportive and cooperative environment. Thank you for this Nalina.

I have continued my volunteering with ERA under the ACVVS  in my local area. It is rewarding. I will never forget how much I have grown as a person from my first encounter with Margaret and Nalina.

Keep this scheme going, it enriches the lives of both client and volunteer.

–  Emily (Volunteer)