I have been volunteering for the Furniture Scheme for just over a year, partly as a means of returning to health after several years out of the system following injury and illness.

In that time I have joined in with lots of things, and met and got to know many people who have shared their knowledge, and educated, entertained and befriended me with good humour, compassion, and generosity of spirit, members of staff and volunteers alike. I have done my best to contribute because this is an atmosphere of sharing and appreciation. I have even been known to make the tea!

This is social capital in action, where finite resources are made to reach a long way by the multiplying effect of goodwill, for the ultimate benefit of many.

I believe there are many hidden benefits which arise, as well as the obvious one of providing furniture to people in need. For example, the pleasant thought of joining the Rockspring gardeners, the Thursday Rockspring lunch, or going to the furniture repair workshop behind the Mascall Centre, and the routine of getting on my bike to do these things have helped me to keep motivated all year, and my long term depression under control. This is really the best medicine you can get, in my opinion, and came to fruition fully recently when I managed to get the part time job Graham told me about at Rickards.

I would like to finish by thanking you all for your encouragement and support, too many to list, and I might omit some by mistake, but you all know who you are, and finally to say that I look forward to continuing to volunteer with you in between other commitments if that is O.K.

 

---

January 29, 2013