Flying high Nick says: ‘Volunteering is thrilling’
NICK GLOVER has never been busier since he gave up work and began volunteering in the borough. A Wokingham Volunteer Centre (WVC) driver with the Community transport scheme since 2016, he said:
“We take people to appointments, who couldn’t get there themselves easily.
“But it’s not the same as a taxi service. “We’re a friendly face, and we stay for the entire time, making sure the client is looked after.
“And then we take them home again. “We take away some of the stress that getting to a hospital visit can bring.”
Volunteer drivers are trained by
WVC how to look after the vulnerable people they serve.
“I like people, I enjoy meeting them, and everyone has a story to tell,” Mr Glover said.
“I just get a kick out of the idea of helping people – it’s a social thing, and
I find it hard to say no.”
Having enjoyed a career in aviation, Mr Glover also teaches disabled people to fly aircraft.
“It’s fascinating being an instructor,” he said.
“The people we teach have mostly come from the military.
“They’ve lost limbs, and gone from fit and healthy young people, to the depths of despair. “Enabling them to fly gives such joy.
“It’s thrilling, and so satisfying to be a part of.”
Mr Glover is also a volunteer tour guide at Croydon Airport Museum, where once a month he shares his knowledge of historic aviation with visitors.
“I know people who retire and have nothing to get up for, they’re bored and don’t know what to do,” he said.
“But I’m so busy now that my wife jokes she has to make an appointment to see me.
“I never know what the day is going to bring, but I always have the satisfaction of being able to say, ‘I achieved something today.’”
■ For information about volunteering in Wokingham, visit: wokinghamvolunteercentre.org.uk