Join the ‘Volunteer Army’

New recruits are being sought for a ‘Volunteer Army’ to help elderly people who have suffered months of isolation and intense vulnerability during the pandemic.

Age UK West Sussex, Brighton and Hove (WSBH) is a local, independent charity working with people over 50, empowering and supporting them to make the most of life. Their main focus is to ensure older people remain healthy, stay independent and continue to be informed and connected within communities.

They have recently become even ‘bigger and better’ after merging both Age UK Brighton & Hove and the Age UK Horsham District, and say this is the perfect time to start volunteering and help the elderly gain support that is greatly needed.

Volunteering is a vital and significant part of society, which has been severely affected by the pandemic. Not only is volunteering personally rewarding, it can also provide opportunities to develop transferable skills for employment opportunities.

Across West Sussex and Brighton, Age UK have many roles available including kitchen or cafe assistants, community navigators, fitness instructors, and working in dementia support. There is also a large demand for individuals to carry out phone befriending and be community volunteers, which cover home visits, picking up shopping or prescriptions or simply providing companionship.

Helen Rice, Chief Executive at Age UK WSBH said: “We have an incredible ‘army’ of volunteers right now, but we want to add to it. The last year has been incredibly tough on older people, with many significantly more frail and isolated following months at home. Post-pandemic, we have big ambitions to be there for more people than ever before, but we do need help from the public.”