Volunteers needed to help transform lives in Edinburgh
The Royal Voluntary Service in Edinburgh is encouraging more people in the area to discover the joys of volunteering whilst keeping their local community healthy and happy.
Article Source: Royal Voluntary Service
Last Updated: 14 July 2022 14:59
Royal Voluntary Service says supporting communities boosts wellbeing of volunteers.
The leading national volunteering charity provides invaluable social and practical support to people in need across the UK and in Edinburgh. Thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery, the charity and its volunteers are able to improve the health and wellbeing, resilience, confidence and connections of some of Edinburgh’s most vulnerable people.
One of the ways local volunteers are improving people's lives in Edinburgh includes serving refreshments to staff, visitors and patients at the Royal Voluntary Service café in Astley Ainslie Hospital.
Its welcoming team is looking for more friendly retail café volunteers with good communication and listening skills to help them continue providing this valuable service. Staying in hospital or visiting loved ones can be a challenging time, and so as well as providing refreshments, volunteers ensure that customers are always greeted by a friendly face.
This is a fantastic opportunity to gain voluntary experience within a retail environment, meet new people and help bring a smile to people's faces.
As a result of donating their time, Royal Voluntary Service volunteers report better physical health, mental health and wellbeing, with 81% of pandemic volunteers reporting an improvement in this*; new skills and work experience; and a sense of connection to others in their community. In a recent report, more than a third (38%) of Royal Voluntary Service volunteers said that volunteering has also improved their confidence**.
Royal Voluntary Service is encouraging anyone who wants to make a positive difference to their community and experience the countless benefits of volunteering to step forward and find out about more about the roles at royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk/volunteering
Alyson Hutton, Retail Manager at Royal Voluntary Service Astley Ainslie Hospital café, said: "Our Royal Voluntary Service volunteers at Astley Ainslie Hospital make a huge difference to the experience of visitors and staff, ensuring they feel welcome when they pop in for something to eat or drink.
"Because our volunteers so selflessly give their time, customers are always greeted by a friendly, compassionate face, helping to make a visit to the hospital, or staff's working day, that little bit brighter.
"We are looking forward to welcoming more volunteers to our friendly team. It's hugely rewarding work and gives volunteers a chance to make new friends, learn new skills, and to see that they're making a real difference to people's lives."
Laura Chow, Head of Charities at People's Postcode Lottery, said: "Volunteers are invaluable in helping boost the health and wellbeing of those around them. Many volunteers also find that their own health and wellbeing improves through helping others, and they take great pride in their roles. By stepping forward and generously giving their time, volunteers change not only other people's lives for the better, but also their own."
Royal Voluntary Service is one of Britain's largest volunteering charities, with volunteers supporting the NHS and thousands of vulnerable people in the community. The charity has delivered the NHS Volunteer Responders programme for NHS England enabled by the GoodSAM app, with volunteers responding to over 2.2 million requests for help and supporting with over 300,000 shifts at vaccination sites.
The charity has also worked in local communities before, during and since the Covid crisis running home libraries, companionship support, home from hospital services and patient transport. Its Virtual Village Hall provides live classes and tutorials on Facebook to promote well-being and keep people active and occupied through the pandemic.
Image: Penny at Kingston Hospital
Image credit: Royal Voluntary Service
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