Mary’s Volunteering Story
Mary’s journey into volunteering began in the heart of Yorkshire during her childhood. She felt inspired by the leaders of the Brownies and Guides groups she attended, and the volunteers at the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS), as they helped in her community. Moved by their example, Mary took her first steps into volunteering by joining the WRVS herself; delivering Meals on Wheels to elderly residents in her area. Years later, she continues to dedicate her time to the Royal Voluntary Service, having swapped the meals she used to deliver for library books! This small yet vital service of bringing books people makes a real difference to isolated members of the community.
During the challenging times of Covid, Mary joined Volunteer Centre Dorset as a Community Response Volunteer, a role she continues to enjoy and finds easy to integrate into her daily routine.
When she’s running errands, out shopping, or in between other jobs, Mary makes time – sometimes just half an hour – to help those in need by taking on tasks such as picking up a prescription, delivering a food parcel, or making a quick welfare call. She also shops regularly for an elderly neighbour, picking up his groceries alongside her own, and dropping them off to him every other week.
Mary’s devotion to giving back is something she shares with her family, especially her grandson, Jayden. This Christmas, Jayden and his friend Ben joined her to deliver a festive hamper to an isolated lady in her local community. Jayden describes the experience as “fulfilling and heartwarming,” a sentiment Mary cherishes. She believes moments like these – where the values of community spirit and kindness are passed down – nurture the next generation of compassionate volunteers.
