Singing Spice Girls with my older neighbours

Please note: this post is 90 months old and The Cares Family is no longer operational. This post is shared for information only

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I started volunteering with South London Cares in early 2016, after reading how older people in the community often felt lonely and isolated. I wanted to spend my free time doing something meaningful, did a bit of research into the various volunteering opportunities, and after seeing how easy it was to volunteer with South London cares I signed up immediately. SLC have such a great range of social clubs that I get the opportunity to try new things – like script-reading or a ceilidh dance – which I would never have tried otherwise.

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My favourite club would have to be the choir in Peckham, which I’ve been regularly going to for almost 2 years now. Despite having very little singing ability, I look forward to it every month and we have built up a pretty impressive repertoire of songs! It hardly feels like volunteering: I have formed great friendships with some of the neighbours at choir and I’m just going to catch up with them and have a sing-along. And admittedly, there’s nothing more entertaining than listening to a range of singing abilities attempting to harmonise to the Spice Girls! Getting to know the neighbours has been an important learning experience for me, as you can often forget how valuable older people’s perspectives can be, and it has definitely broadened my world-view for the better.

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My favourite moment is probably volunteering to go to the ceilidh, last minute. I had been feeling rather blue all day, and not in a particularly fun or outgoing mood. After spending 15 minutes chatting to the neighbours, trying to figure out the moves (hand-eye-foot co-ordination is not my strong suit) and twirling around the dancefloor my spirits were lifted and I felt 100 times better. I always have a happy, warm feeling after going to a social club, and I really needed it that day. It’s this feeling, and the friendships that I’ve built, that keep me coming back every month.