Volunteering at The Furzedown Project

Our volunteers are the life blood of our centre, giving of their time generously to support activities, events and the day-to-day running of the Furzedown Project.

They deploy a vast range of their skills to keep the Project running so successfully. These acts of solidarity, empathy, listening, and social interaction have the greatest impact on improving the lives of our members, with our volunteers often offering sensitive peer support to those going through bereavement, loss, loneliness, and discomfort.

Enquiries: Services@furzedownproject.org

There are lots of opportunities available for volunteering. These include:

Mini bus drivers (full licence) to join our transport team, offering

• Full MiDas training
• Rotas to suit what time you are able to give
• Ongoing support
• Expenses reimbursed
• Social Network

Escorts for minibus, offering

• Rotas to suit what time you are able to give
• Ongoing support/training
• Expenses reimbursed
• Social Network

Receptionists, offering

• Rotas to suit what time you are able to give
• Ongoing support/training
• Expenses reimbursed
• Social Network

Home visitors

The Home Visiting Scheme is a service that is delivered by a team of volunteers who take friendship and conversation into the living rooms of people who find it very difficult to get out and are faced with too many hours spent alone. Visits are undertaken by the Projects own members, who visit their client for around a couple of hours a week.

For more details, please go to our Home Visiting page

Other volunteering opportunities include:

• Running or supporting an activity
• Helping with fundraising activities
• Helping with publicity
• Supporting members with Computers, mobile phones, and tablets.
• Supporting the catering group
• Giving a talk on a topic of interest
• Supporting the development of the website and social media
• Becoming a Trustee

Some of our Volunteers’ Stories

Graham Loveland

Chair of the board of Trustees

I’ve volunteered at the Project for the past 10 years as a minibus escort and driver and, more recently, as an active trustee. Over that time I’ve come to fully appreciate the importance of the Project in addressing social isolation through a wide range of activities that provide opportunities for both volunteers and users to meet up.
Following the travails of Covid and the appointment of a new manager, the Project is re-emerging as a social hub for the community that is Furzedown. These are genuinely exciting times that provide fresh opportunities to engage and socialise in ways that I am sure our original founder, Dr Leverson, would approve of.

Liz Sines

Liz staffs our reception desk on Tuesday & Thursday mornings. She also undertakes telephone befriending. She says:

“When I retired seven years ago and was looking for something to do, my husband Terry (who was already volunteering for the Project) said, ‘go along and take a look, you might enjoy it’.

I did go along and it was suggested that I do a stint on Reception. I found a friendly, laid-back atmosphere combined with a common purpose to do well for all members. I really enjoy the role and am now on the Board of Trustees which enables a curious person like myself to see close up how the Project runs and play a part in it.

I love what we do at the Project and the way that we do it, warm, welcoming and supportive to all. On a personal note it also showed me that retirement is only the closing of one chapter and volunteering the beginning of a new chapter.”

Tony Buffery

Tony helps with Computer Support and staffs the reception desk on Friday mornings. Tony says:

“I volunteer here out of ‘self-interest’. It is very important to remain physically and mentally active to survive. I was frustrated by retirement, the slower pace of life and reduced income, but it is also important to know that what you do has a ‘social value’, not just a cash value. I get job satisfaction from the work I do at the Project. I feel I achieve things, learn new things and do things that other people can benefit from. There is an exchange that takes place here, people give support and are given support. Once you’ve passed 70 things can go wrong and I might have need of this place if things go wrong for me.”

Gill Mires

Gill is a new member of the Project and has brought new energy and ideas to our team of fundraisers. She says:

“I came to the Project last September when I enrolled in the Craft Class. I quickly discovered the wide range of activities on offer and joined Monday’s Fit and Fitter Group.

I enjoy fundraising, working with others and meeting new people. I have knitted some baby garments and novelties to sell at Christmas and Easter and have helped “man the stalls”.  I enjoy chatting with members and staff, hearing about their lives and interests. Everyone is very friendly and welcoming and I look forward to many more years of fundraising and socialising at the Project.”

Guy Gozmao

Guy is a Home Visiting volunteer and Passenger Transport Assistant, helping people attend weekly activities and supporting people on day trips. He says:

“I am a person who likes to help others, and I am happy when I’m helping, helping young or old, animal or human, helping gives me job satisfaction. The people I meet as a home visitor are often on their own. They need to see a different face and to talk. It’s nice when people look forward to seeing you and I enjoy getting to understand another person and sharing life experiences.”

Barbara Bunby

Barbara has staffed our reception desk on Thursday afternoons for 18 years, and plays a key role in fundraising events. She says:

“I enjoy meeting and greeting the members who come in to play Bridge and those who exercise each Thursday. We have a chat and a laugh before the classes begin and again when I take through the tea.

I am part of the fundraising team making craft and decorative items which we sell at the Easter and Christmas Fayres. We also organise small raffles for members which helps the Project with extra funds.”

Terry Sines

Terry is our Passenger Transport Assistant for the exercise classes on a Thursday morning. He and driver Peter Clarke are a great team who undertake a double pick-up and return shift. Terry also supports the Summer Day Trips. He says:

“I was having some trouble with British Gas, and called into the Project for some advice. When that was sorted I was then waylaid by Mick who asked things like ‘what are you up to now?’ …  ‘Do you have any time to spare?’… ‘What skills do you think you can share?’ etc. A lot of you will recognise the approach!  Now four years later I still do voluntary escort duties for the mini-bus and also some home visiting. Working on the bus involves collecting people who may spend a lot of time on their own, greeting them with a kind word, helping them on and off the mini-bus, seeing  them safely home, giving them confidence to make the journey and join in the different activities. It’s also good to see friendships develop and different nationalities and backgrounds mixing together so well.”

Christel Geater

Christel has helped at the Project for 20 years, beginning as a Passenger Transport Assistant following the loss of her husband. She now provides refreshments to the Monday Get-together and Co-op Shop. She is also a member of the events catering team and the fundraising team. She says:
“I enjoy the things I do for the Project and the company I get when I’m doing it. It makes me happy to meet my friends and know that we all work together for the benefit of the Centre.”