High-Pressure Career to High-Impact Volunteering
When I was offered voluntary redundancy about 3 years before I was due to retire, I jumped at the chance. Apart from a 2-month sabbatical to sail the Atlantic, I had been working for 40 years in a high-pressure job with long hours and long periods of time spent away from home.
I knew that as well as looking for a part time job, I needed to do something useful with my new-found free time. I saw an advert looking for ‘walk leaders’ from Simply Walk who are run by Buckinghamshire Council, set up to help local people get outdoors and be more active. After a half day training and a first aid course, I was out in the local countryside leading groups of up to 30 people. We split into two grades of walk and my favourite was the slower walk, not because it was easier, but because it supported the people who really appreciated an accompanied walk and wouldn’t necessarily have enjoyed walking on their own. I met some lovely people; it was very satisfying to receive the praise at the end of the walk and rewarding to see people chatting and enjoying being out and about.
It was announced in 2011 that HS2 would run through the Chilterns and more specifically through Old Amersham. I joined HS2 Amersham Action Group (HS2AAG) at its inauguration in January 2011. We fought the destruction of our countryside and lost, but HS2AAG continued to monitor HS2’s activities and to challenge them when they stepped outside their contractual obligations. Fourteen years on, I am still active with HS2AAG, supporting Amersham Town Council in their quarterly meetings with both HS2 and their contractors. Following this, I recently received an award from Amersham Town Council to recognise this voluntary work!
A few years ago, one of my neighbours was asking for help with his charity’s website. The charity, Chiltern Compass, aims to support the local community in talking about dying and end of life planning. As I had some basic website experience, I offered to help. I have been given lots of food for thought through the work they do. You can view their website here: chilterncompass.org.uk
For over 60 years, I have been holidaying at the Southernmost village in Devon. When I inherited my parents’ holiday cottage, I applied to become a Volunteer Watchkeeper at Prawle Point National Coastwatch Institute (NCI). The NCI was originally set up in 1994, in Cornwall, when a fishing boat sank and its two crew members perished. This happened soon after many Coastguard lookouts, including the one at Prawle Point, had been closed down and it was believed that the fishermen would not have perished if they had been spotted.
The local community decided to establish a volunteer watch over that section of the coastline and the NCI was established. I had always been fascinated by the sea and had spent many happy hours sailing around the South Coast, so watchkeeping was the ideal role for me. The role involved keeping a keen eye out for vulnerable people at sea and on the coast path, as well as challenging me mentally with such things as radio protocol, radar and procedures for communicating with HM Coastguard and RNLI. There was great camaraderie amongst the watchkeepers and a real buzz when we had been able to help someone in trouble!
In 2005, London won the contest to host the 2012 Olympics. My mother, as a trained physiotherapist, volunteered for the 1948 Olympics, but was turned down. This inspired me to volunteer for the 2012 games. I was rewarded with a role in the Royal Box at Wembley Stadium. It was a privilege to be involved in the success of these games and serve the likes of the President of Montenegro, Henry Kissinger, David Beckham and Prince William!
Di (client of Beyond Finance)
