Volunteering at Avery

Volunteering and giving service is a great British tradition and at Avery we are privileged to have almost 100 Attend volunteers who share their time and talents with residents in our homes. We work closely with Attend, a long-established UK charity that represents over 29,000 volunteers who give their time in health and social care. Attend volunteers receive a high standard of training and are supported with professional development. Indeed, some volunteers have decided to become employed and pursue a career with us.

A large part of volunteers’ time is spent befriending residents, particularly those without families nearby, or supporting additional social and leisure activities in conjunction with our Well-being teams. Volunteering may involve having a coffee and a chat, reading a book, helping with a jigsaw, being a walking companion, supporting a trip outside in the community or whatever support a resident requests.

Many initiatives have also successfully been implemented through the support of Attend volunteers. One project which has been very successful and popular supports residents living with dementia to engage their senses through therapeutic gardening with a horticultural therapist. Several homes have developed a personalised trolley shopping service which is stocked with items requested by residents and which promotes resident choice and independence.

Through our partnership with Attend, our volunteers take an active part in improving the well-being and quality of life for our residents. We really appreciate their efforts and would like to thank them all for their fantastic contribution.

Article by Linda Patel, Head of Well-being and Activity, for Welcome Home Issue 9.