We always appreciate our volunteers whether they make 1 call or 6 a week, every call is providing a lifeline for a participant that is lonely or isolated.
Recently a new volunteer came forward, she was very enthusiastic and asked for 5 calls on week one! We did want to start her off lower so we agreed to 2 calls to see how she got on, by 11am on Monday she had made the calls and sent through her logs, said she absolutely loved it and could she please take on some more. This happened to be perfect timing as one of our other volunteers had taken ill and was unable to make their calls that week, so another 3 calls were added.
Since that first week Fiona has gone from strength to strength, she loves dedicating her time to the calls and has said it has in fact made her a better person, she told me the other day that her daughter had told her that mummy was a nicer person now she was volunteering and calling people. Fiona has two children and finds herself at a loss during the day, she says this has given her a new sense of purpose and she has made many friends during the calls that have helped her more than she can say.
Fiona now makes up to 15 calls a week, including one skype call. She can be on the phone for hours at a time, we do check in with her often to ensure that that number of calls is still enjoyable and do-able. She says she will certainly shout up if anything changes, right now she is just happy to be making a difference.