The Silver Line
Although
I gave up paid work some years ago now, I have volunteered for a few
different organisations over the years. I still regularly work as a
volunteer, primarily for The
Silver Line, Dame Esther
Rantzen's charity for older people experiencing loneliness. You
can see more about why Esther was prompted to start up The Silver
Line here and
more about volunteering here
The
Silver Line is a free, confidential helpline providing friendship, information, and advice to older people, 24 hours a day
every day of the year. Though it is sad that such a service is so
needed in modern society, at The Silver Line we are all very proud of
the way in which the service has grown to meet the needs of so many
of our senior citizens. And demand for our services continues to
grow. Recently, the Helpline took our 2 millionth call!
As
well as the 24 hour Helpline, a vital part of The
Silver Line is
the befriending service provided by thousands of trained volunteers
who offer their time to be Telephone Friends. We now have over 4000
such volunteers who ring their Silver Liner at the same time, on the
same day every week, just to have a chat, with the cost of all calls being met by the charity.
We know from feedback from our Silver Liners, the name chosen by those who use the service, just how very valuable this service is and how much difference it makes to their lives. Many report that the relationship that develops is not only valuable and enjoyable but, in many cases, it also helps build their confidence and they often feel encouraged to find new interests and activities which have a positive impact on their lives and bring them into contact with more people. Some even become Silver Line volunteers themselves! All of which is just great!!
We know from feedback from our Silver Liners, the name chosen by those who use the service, just how very valuable this service is and how much difference it makes to their lives. Many report that the relationship that develops is not only valuable and enjoyable but, in many cases, it also helps build their confidence and they often feel encouraged to find new interests and activities which have a positive impact on their lives and bring them into contact with more people. Some even become Silver Line volunteers themselves! All of which is just great!!
I'm
a Telephone Friend myself and thoroughly enjoy making weekly calls to
my lovely Silver Liner! I've had other volunteering roles before but this one really suits me because there is no travelling involved and I can easily fit it around the other things I do. Training of potential volunteers is done by telephone. Once trained, volunteers make calls, paid for by the charity, from the comfort of their own home - just like phoning a friend. So if, for whatever reason, you find it difficult to leave home you can possibly still be a volunteer with The Silver Line.
I'm also a Trainer of new volunteers wanting to become Telephone Friends which I absolutely love! I have the great satisfaction of knowing that I'm ensuring that more people in need of our services can get matched up with a trained Telephone Friend, that I'm supporting such a great and much needed charity, and that I'm making a difference and actively doing something positive to change individual lives and society.
I'm also a Trainer of new volunteers wanting to become Telephone Friends which I absolutely love! I have the great satisfaction of knowing that I'm ensuring that more people in need of our services can get matched up with a trained Telephone Friend, that I'm supporting such a great and much needed charity, and that I'm making a difference and actively doing something positive to change individual lives and society.
If
you're interested in knowing more about The
Silver Line you
can go to the website via the links on this page and if you want to
keep up with what's happening you can sign up for The
Silver Line Newsletter by
clicking this link.
And
if you know a lonely person, over the age of 55, who may
benefit from our services please point them in the direction of The
Silver Line website
or encourage them to ring the Helpline on 0800
4 70 80 90. You
never know how much difference it may make to the quality of
someone's life!
Stephen's Story.
Young
people get a lot of
really bad press and, yes, some of
it may be deserved but why
do we as a society focus so much
on the negatives, rather than the good that is out there? It's very
similar to the way in which society views the elderly these days.
Well,
I want to tell you about just one amazing young
man Stephen Sutton. Stephen's story is incredible, inspirational
and uplifting and shows us all what life is really all
about. Stephen sadly passed away in May 2014 but his legacy lives on
in the people he inspired and the money raised by him and in his
name, totalling over £4 million to date. The world is poorer for his
loss but infinitely richer for having had him in it.
I
invite you all to listen to Stephen telling his story here and
to read about what he achieved in the few years while he was battling
cancer, told briefly in text and pictures in a timeline here. I
guarantee you will be moved and, hopefully, inspired. If anything
demonstrates that it is never too
late this is it! And, although amazing, Stephen's
story is not unique. There are very many amazing people, young, old
and every age in between, out there making a difference in ways
great and small! And you could
be one of them - maybe you already are! In which case, maybe
sharing your story
could inspire others.
End of Treatment Bells.
Listening to Chris Evans on the radio this morning (22/08/2018) I heard a Mum, Tracey Peyton, telling the heart-warming story of the 'End of Treatment Bells' You can listen to the broadcast here. Or you can read the story here.
In 2013 Tracey's 8 year old daughter, Emma, was diagnosed with cancer. Following surgery and chemotherapy Emma went to America for further treatment and it was there that they first encountered the 'end of treatment' bells. Tracey and Emma liked the idea so much that, when they returned to the UK, Tracey approached staff at the hospital where Emma was being treated. They agreed that it was a great idea and so the first bell was made and installed - followed by very many more in hospital throughout the UK and beyond.
For children fighting cancer, ringing the bell is not just a major milestone, marking the end of treatment, it is an inspiring symbol of hope.
The words on each bell read:
Ring this bell,
three times well,
its toll to clearly say
my treatment's done,
this course is run
and I am on my way!
You can read some of these children's stories and even watch videos as these 'ward warriors' take their turn to ring the bell at the end of their treatment here.
Why Kindness Is Good For You (this heading is a link. Just click it)
Many years ago I first came across Random Acts of Kindness by Danny Wallace, a book which sparked a world-wide movement of people doing kind deeds for strangers. There is a 20th anniversary commemorative edition which is a bit pricey and which contains stories mostly from the USA, here but I also found a less expensive version of the original book, with mostly UK-based stories here. This book, the movement it inspired, and Stephen's story above, all serve to remind me of how the intention to live positively and make a difference can sometimes take off and become much bigger and transformational.Most people have at some time experienced the feel-good effects of kindness and now scientific evidence has proven that kindness has positive impacts on the brain, the heart and the immune system and can be an antidote for depression. Developing a kind attitude, becoming a kind person, carrying out little acts of kindness on a regular basis, contributes positively to our own health and well-being, as well as having a positive effect on the recipients of our kindness. And kindness has a ripple effect too because those who receive an act of kindness are very likely to 'pass it on' to others.
Knitting for Charity
If, like me, you are an keen crafter but have no-one to knit or crochet for at the moment you may want to consider using your skills to support charities. A few years ago it became very popular to knit for babies in Africa, the so-called 'fish and chip babies'. However, while you will still find information, patterns etc in various places on-line, most charities have now stopped sending these items abroad. There are still a number of charities that do welcome hand-crafted items though and many hospitals welcome things like tiny bonnets and blankets for prem babies.
I found a useful website called Knit for Life (click on the name to be taken directly to their Home page). They also provide a useful list of links to other charities, listed by geographical region. You can find it here. You may find a charity in your local area that you can support in this way, doing something you enjoy in the comfort of your own home!
Whatever
you decide to do with your time, make a difference, no matter
how small, smile and keep dancing with life!!
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