Legacy
Legacy
Please note: this post is 114 months old and The Cares Family is no longer operational. This post is shared for information only
I'm Cassie, and I’ve recently been spending a few hours each month to volunteer with South London Cares. How did I find them, why do I do it, why not just donate cash or raise money? So many questions that my friends and peers asked, and I thought it was about time I gave some answers!
I first heard about South London Cares through their brilliant sister charity, North London Cares. When an email came round at work asking if any of us would give up half a day to host our older Islington neighbours in the office I jumped at the chance!
I experienced first hand how beneficial interaction, fun and laughter can be for isolated older people. Something the rest of us take for granted in our every day life can be so valuable and special for someone else. The group left by telling us how much fun they'd had, and as they waved goodbye with huge grins and thanks I knew that if I could find a way I would be doing more.
I had personally experienced some of the issues around isolation and loneliness since seeing the decline in my grandmother’s health. Although once lively and sociable, her deteriorating physical health prevented her from getting out and eventually from seeing people. Being so far removed from her neighbours in the community only made her feel worse. This should not be the case for anyone in today’s supposedly better-connected world. SLC seemed to be fighting for everything I had been doing, but on a larger scale and with an already built up network. I wanted to contribute wherever I could.
I signed up to a few Social Clubs and I really didn’t know what to expect, would I be able to help? Or be a hindrance? As soon as I was welcomed in to my first quiz night, by Marina, Kola, Roy and Gloria, I knew I was going to get on fine. Not only did I immediately find a kindred spirit in Marina, but I also learnt a lot of general knowledge from others in my quiz team! I had an evening of laughter, meeting new people and great company.
From here I’ve participated in dinner parties and technology workshops – again meeting so many fantastic people along the way. I was so inspired when Bill, who is almost entirely blind, pulled out his guitar at the end of dinner and serenaded the group!
It’s so easy for us all to forget the older generation. As for our local neighbours, do they feel included in this fast moving and continuously changing city? For a society that is so advanced in some ways, it seems to be going so backwards in others. To be able to give my time to help other people feel involved and valued once again is something very special.
I want to help south London to be a place where we are friends with others around us, old or young, where we can enjoy each others company through a variety of activities in a community that provides support and friendship, whether we’re 24 or 84.
The next stage in volunteering with South London Cares is next May: a triathlon in the Lake District. This is despite my current inability to cycle further than 1 mile on a very slight incline without wanting to collapse! Still, there’s plenty of time for training, right?
Want to read more? Meet our other volunteers here!