Volunteering: a way of paying it forwards
To mark Volunteer’s Week on 1-7 June, we spoke to Cleo Lyn, a Barts Charity volunteer. Here, she explains why she chose to volunteer during the pandemic and why she plans to continue doing so when it’s a distant memory.
Hello, my name is Cleo. I’m 30 years old and I’ve been a Barts Charity volunteer for more than a year now. I can’t believe it’s gone so fast!. My journey into volunteering started like many others. I had been put on furlough from my job in events, and I wanted to use my free time to do something meaningful.
As the Covid-19 pandemic went from bad to worse I knew I wanted to do anything I could to help. So when the call came for volunteers to help at The Nightingale Hospital I jumped at the opportunity. Truthfully, I’ve never actually worked in a healthcare setting so I was initially a little apprehensive. I remember friends and family voicing their concerns about my determination to help. Of course they (like much of humanity) were pretty terrified about the risk of anyone working in close proximity to people who were very ill with Covid-19. Nevertheless, I was determined.
I remember the first day I was due to start, my dad suddenly become very sick with Covid-19 himself. He went on to spend more than five weeks in ITU. I have to admit it was really difficult worrying about him while volunteering at The Nightingale but it also really spurred me on to do anything I could to help. Another thing that inspired me was of course the healthcare workers who were putting their lives on the line to save others. My best friend is an ITU nurse and hearing about the work she was doing day-in, day-out motivated me to help people like her in any way I could.
After The Nightingale closed, I kept an eye out for other volunteering opportunities. Then, in January, there was a call for Barts Charity volunteers to join the NHS Covid-19 vaccination centre, Newham. I remember the day it was confirmed we’d developed a vaccine against Covid-19 and it would start to be rolled out. The excitement was unreal, and I knew I wanted to be involved. To once more do my bit to help people – this time to get vaccinated.
My favourite thing about being a volunteer has got to be meeting people from different walks of life. I particularly enjoyed doing this during the lockdowns, when we weren’t otherwise meeting people. It was a chance to get out and about and talk to people, while doing something that would help get us all back to doing the things we love.
Every day as a volunteer is different and there’s always so much to do. I think it’s often underestimated how much volunteers can impact a person’s healthcare experience for the better, and how important they are. I remember one lady who had several long-term health conditions came to the vaccination centre and she was struggling to walk. I fetched her a wheelchair and we quickly struck up a rapport. Due to her health, she had been shielding for several months and hadn’t seen any of her family or friends for a really long time. We had a nice chat while she waited for her vaccine and before she went in she gushed about how getting vaccinated and meeting me had made her month! Hearing this was honestly the best feeling and shows how having volunteers to help out can really improve people’s experience.
For me signing up to volunteer just felt so natural. I do believe, particularly among younger generations, that we take a lot for granted. Giving back to people that are less fortunate by volunteering is a way of paying forwards for the things we’re fortunate to have. So if you’re thinking about volunteering, my advice is to go for it. You won’t regret it.
Watch Cleo's interview with the BBC, where she talks about why she volunteers and why she thinks everyone should have a Covid-19 vaccine.
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