This blog is part of a series that celebrates the stories of the amazing Community Care Volunteers that have been supporting vulnerable people across Leeds during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read Holly Rothwell’s story, written in her own words, to find out more about her volunteering experience.

The impetus for me to volunteer was a recent house move; from a small-town community to the city of Leeds. My move brought with it an uneasy sense of disconnection. In Leeds, I didn’t yet have the stability and energy that results from knowing neighbours and bumping into friends on the street. So, I seized upon lockdown, and Community Care Volunteering, as an opportunity to connect with people in my neighbourhood and regenerate my sense of belonging.

I’ve been a volunteer before: I’m proud to namecheck In Place of War, The Trades Club and the Women’s Equality Party as organisations I’ve been part of. I’ve also been a volunteer manager, supporting hundreds of fabulous people each year during my tenure as Ecommerce and Festivals Manager with Oxfam.

Registering, induction and getting started was a seamless process. The first day after lockdown was imposed, The Oblong Centre in Woodhouse called to ask if I could collect groceries for a gentleman who was shielding a few doors down. One obstacle stood in my way: I was mid-way through a hastened move to another new home, anxious to finish before our van got stopped by police! Between lugging furniture, I delivered my neighbours’ first grocery order and began a new friendship; a welcome moment of fun in an otherwise tiring day.

Nowadays, my volunteering is much more relaxed. On a typical day, I lace up my trainers and don a Macintosh and backpack for a long walk around Leeds. I head to town, collect my friend’s groceries, and then slip through an eerily empty section of the city towards his house.

On the way, I anticipate his animated conversation and hope the outsize dose of Stilton squirrelled in my pack is going to survive the ride. When I arrive, we’ll chat for an hour or so on the doorstep, our topics dancing back and forth from travels in Africa and sailing, to medicine and of course, cheese. This is my favourite part of volunteering: my friend’s unceasing cheer despite the relentless isolation of his shielding.

So, did Community Care Volunteering regenerate my sense of belonging? I certainly noticed a positive change in my mental health as a result of connecting with my neighbour. I also noticed how little time I needed to volunteer to feel a big improvement in my outlook. Where my other volunteer work involved policy-level work to end systemic inequalities, this is the first time I have worked with a grassroots organisation to support someone directly. This experience reminded me to value highly all of my one-to-one connections as a source of mental wellbeing and strengthened my resolve to continue working, at all levels, to put an end to inequality.

To anyone considering volunteering: if your circumstances allow, do it. Volunteering is an absolute privilege. When it’s run well, as Community Care Volunteering is, your only regret will be that you didn’t do more of it.

Volunteers can offer practical support for vulnerable people (such as shopping deliveries, preparing meals, making check-in phone calls) or can sign-up as an informal volunteer to help within their own neighbourhood in more general ways. The Leeds City Council helpline is available so that people in need of support can call 0113 378 1877 to be matched with a local volunteer who can help.

The Community Care Volunteering Programme is not currently accepting applications from new volunteers but there are still lots of other volunteering opportunities available in Leeds. To find out more, please visit https://doinggood.wordifysites.com/volunteer/

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