Sam - family mentor for Connection Support

Voluntering at Aylesbury Police Station, Paul feels that this is an important role and says that he gets far more out of volunteering than he feels he puts in. What is your role? I’m part of a team of independent custody volunteers who make unannounced visits to people held in police custody to check on their rights, entitlements, wellbeing and dignity. The independent custody visiting scheme is run by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, and all my custody visits are to Aylesbury Police Station. What attracted you to this role? I have been volunteering for years in various roles, including those that the Volunteer Matching Service matched me to. They have always tended to be practical roles, very worthwhile and rewarding but the Independent Custody Visiting role offered more of an intellectual challenge than some other roles. I worked for the Police Service many years ago and that also played a part in piquing my interest. What difference do you think your role makes? It is an opportunity to be an independent voice commenting on the running of the custody process. It is important to both the person being detained and to the Police who have placed that person in custody, providing an independent perspective to both sides. Was there a long induction process before you could get started? It did take a while – I was matched to the role in July but did not do my first custody visit until December. For a while, visits were difficult to do because of Covid-19. Both the interview stage and the induction process were positive experiences and so didn’t dampen my enthusiasm for the role. What has the experience been like so far? It is living up to my expectations and the induction process prepared me very well, so there have been no real surprises. The most interesting bit is meeting people in very unusual circumstances and working out how to have a conversation with them that reassures them of my independence and can establish whether they are being properly treated without prying into how they came to be detained. Some detainees definitely welcome the human element that the custody visits provide. Would you recommend this role to others? Yes, I am enjoying it and would be happy to talk to anyone about the role. Anyone who has an independent perspective, and an open mind could volunteer as a custody visitor. It would actually be good to have more diversity across the team reflecting other the wider range of equality characteristics. Would you recommend volunteering generally? Yes. It seems to me that in every role I have, I get more from the experience than I feel I have given. I have met such a variety of people that I would not otherwise have done. Most importantly, I feel I am part of something that is delivering for the common good. Additional information: You can find out more about Independent Custody Visitors on the website for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner .

Madeleine runs baking sessions in the training kitchen at the Bagnall Project in Chesham, run by the Oasis Partnership. What is your role? I run baking sessions for young people in the training kitchen at the Bagnall Project. It is all very hands-on and inclusive. Each week I decide what we are going to bake and let the young people know in advance. If they don’t like an ingredient then we can plan to make an alternative version as well so we have some making cinnamon buns and others making fruit buns. Each session lasts about 2-2½ hours and although everyone is focused on the baking it is a social experience too. What led you to volunteer? I had been working for many years in the charity sector on the fundraising side and, after being made redundant, I had time on my hands that I could do some good with. I initially thought I would volunteer driving people around. Baking with young people just wasn’t something I’d thought about but when the Volunteer Matching Service rang and mentioned the kitchen role to me, it just ticked all my boxes. Being matched to the right role makes all the difference both to the volunteer and the charity. What difference do you think your role makes? I see the young people developing and growing in confidence in addition to learning new recipes and baking skills. Some of them are really creative and this is a chance for them to demonstrate that. I’m sure the practical and social benefits to them will continue well after they have moved on. What do you gain personally from volunteering? I really enjoy it. Sometimes I go into a session feeling tired but always come out feeling invigorated. I see the young people starting to make friends and develop confidence as well as learning to bake. At the end of the session, as they leave with their freshly baked food and having clearly had a good time, I think to myself “I helped make that happen”. Do you feel valued as a volunteer? The Oasis Partnership is very good at making us feel appreciated. Volunteers get regular newsletters to keep us involved and informed and I get regular positive feedback from the Volunteer Co-ordinator. I know I am appreciated. Would you recommend volunteering? Yes; I would definitely recommend finding the right role though and the Volunteer Matching Service can help with that. If the role is right for you, you’ll find it really rewarding. Additional information: You can find out more about The Oasis Partnership on its website .

Katy takies bookings for scooters or wheelchairs and hands them over to clients at the Eden Centre in High Wycombe. What led you to volunteer? During the pandemic I saw lots of stories about people volunteering and I just wanted to help, to ‘give something back’, so I registered with the Volunteer Matching Service. When one of the team spoke to me about the Shopmobility role, I knew nothing about the charity or what it does, but I thought I’d give it a go, I find I am really enjoying it. What is your role? I am one of the volunteers who man the Shopmobility office in the Eden Centre in High Wycombe. On a typical afternoon I’ll spend my time answering the phone, taking bookings for scooters or wheelchairs and handing them over to clients for their use. If a client hasn’t used the service before I’ll sort out their membership and take them through a mini-driving test to make sure they know how to use the equipment safely. When the scooter or wheelchair is returned then I’d clean it to minimise COVID infection risk. Was there anything surprising about the role? I had to do a little driving test in a mobility scooter myself to make sure I could operate it safely as well as showing clients how to use them. One of the services the charity offers is that we can meet clients at the bus station with a pre-booked scooter or wheelchair so its important that all the team can ride them safely. We also have to be able to manoeuvre them around the premises for cleaning and storage. What do you gain personally from volunteering? I enjoy interacting with people who I wouldn’t have met in my everyday life. Many of them are eager to chat and, for some, a trip to the Eden Centre with the help of a Shopmobility scooter is the only outlet they have. It is wonderful to be able to make a difference to people. Many of them are just so grateful, and often pleasantly surprised that the service is free. I am part of a great bunch of people at Shopmobility, it is a really friendly team. They are very flexible and understanding if I can’t volunteer on my usual afternoon and have to swap to a different day. Would you recommend volunteering? I would absolutely recommend volunteering – whether at Shopmobility or elsewhere. If you have the time, it can be so fulfilling. Additional information: You can find out more about High Wycombe Shopmobility on its website .