When did it start: The company I worked for gave us one day a year for volunteering. I started about 2010 for an organisation called 'Spark!', a West London organisation that helps young people getting into work. I volunteered at schools doing mock interview (job interview training). I realised how much fun it is to work with young people and to help them getting through future job interviews. I did more than one day a year. When the vaccinations for Covid started, I didn't hesitate to help, as I found it very important to help getting as many people as possible vaccinated, that’s when I began volunteering for CVA as a vaccination steward. CVA passed my details on to Croydon Commitment, where I started doing mock interviews and c/v training at local schools. In addition, I am looking after the X-(Twitter) account for Cats Protection Croydon. Whenever needed I am volunteering as a Conductor on Routemaster busses for the London Bus Museum and on Imberday. Most recently I volunteered promoting CVA, and the work CVA does, during an event at the HMRC.

How Volunteering has impacted my life:

During Covid, I felt very isolated. After Covid I felt the need to get out and meet people. Meeting people and helping people is a very good combination. I am retired and feel that I can still be of use and help to others.I didn't want to do anything on a fixed day every week, I like my flexibility, as I like travelling and doing other things. All the things that I am doing are very different, rewarding, fun and on days that I choose to volunteer. In some strange way, I was also offered a casual job, after I volunteered during the Liberty Festival and London Borough of Culture opening festival. This shows that volunteering also helps getting into paid work.