Having more time to give

After 30 years of consistently paying into my pension, I was pleased to reach the point of early retirement. This has allowed me over the last three years to concentrate more on the local Food Bank, where I am a trustee.

My workload at the Food Bank has increased nearly 10-fold, due to the great difficulties more and more people are going through. I thank God for having this extra time to do more for them. I also get involved with the volunteering side two or three mornings a week. 

I am also very involved in my local Baptist Church as a Deacon, taking the services about once a month, as well as overseeing some aspects of the church operations. I can now find the time to do a monthly duty with Street Pastors, again a much-needed organisation which has been a huge help in our town over the last 12 years.

I do find time for enjoyment with my grandchildren, playing bowls during the summer and table tennis during the winter. Due to a moment of silliness, I signed myself up to do a 300km bicycle ride in France and Belgium in aid of the Royal British Legion, and I am also fund raising as well as doing a lot of training.

All this is largely in thanks to Beyond Finance for helping me grow my pension and to think about the future, which has freed me up to get involved in all these things.

Alan