Reapit GoodSAM Volunteers experiences

Iv'e been making Sunday Dinners for my elderly neighbours

Gaynor Barratt updated Agents Giving with her latest news “You’ll be pleased to know I have moved on from making headbands and have made lots of scrubs for the hospitals, doctors and care homes staff. I have also been making Sunday dinners for the older neighbours living on their own and bbq’s when its been warmer. So keeping very busy!!”

A mammoth shopping trip this morning

Gaynor Barrett, Regional Sales Manager at Reapit tells of her experience of the mammoth shopping trip this morning for four vulnerable people in her community, “it turned out to be a lot more stressful than imagined as the local supermarket has been closed due to a burglary last night so I had to go to the big one, all delivered with a smile so they were none the wiser”!

I've been busy collecting fabric and buttons

Gaynor whilst waiting for the GoodSam alarm to go off comments “I have been busy going round the village collecting fabric, elastic and buttons so that I can make hair bands and scrub bags for the NHS… this is going to keep me very busy!!! Sewing patterns can be found on the ‘Sewing for the NHS Facebook groups’, there’s lots around so should be one in your area, some are donating fabric, others you have to source yourself, it has to withstand being washed at 60 degrees. Old pillowcases make good scrub bags and sheets and duvet covers, etc”.

It's been a productive day

Gaynors workstation set been set up, and reports it’s been a productive day, shopping for the neighbours and making headbands for the NHS which are taking a lot longer than Gaynor thought they would to construct, now Gaynor is starting to sew the buttons on!!!

I'm a volunteer dog walker

Erica Choy, Assistant Product Marketing Manager at Reapit is a volunteer, supporting the GoodSAM App. In addition to making calls to people from all walks of life, Erica is a volunteer dog walker. Erica comments “I can’t do as often as I’d like but whenever I go and help out, it’s also been fulfilling. The dogs are full of energy, so they keep you busy. Recently, I’ve also been helping the rescue on resetting their Instagram account, to help them maximise the adoption rate”.

While waiting for the GoodSAM app to go off!

Andrew Fursedon, Sales Operations Manager at Reapit told us while he was waiting for the GoodSam app to get going, he got in touch with a local group organising a pop-up food shop to serve staff at the nearby hospital. The idea is that NHS staff order a box of food online, sold at cost, for collection at the end of their shift.

I'm in charge of stock taking for food orders

Local businesses and global companies have donated their facilities, equipment and expertise to help support this fantastic initiative. I spoke with them about what I do at Reapit, and they asked if I was any good with technology…I now seem to be assisting with IT support! “There’s a lot to do, a lot to organise, a lot of heavy boxes to shift, but we’ll get there”.

Offering 'Check In and Chat'

Danielle Naoman, Service Assurance and Compliance Manager at Reapit has been collecting shopping for vulnerable members of the community. Danielle is also registered as a volunteer with GoodSAM offering ‘Check In and Chat’ for those who are isolating and would welcome a friendly phone call.

I've baked a Ferrero Rocher cheesecake

Danielle has also volunteered her services for Sandwell Talking News who provide recorded news stories to the visually impaired in our local community.

When Danielle had been dropping some shopping off to her elderly neighbour yesterday, she told her that she had a real sweet tooth….so today Danielle comments “I have made her a Ferrero Rocher cheesecake. Just hope I don’t poison her with my awful culinary skills”!

I've had lots of laughs and conversations

Joanna Burda, Client Accountant at Reapit has been working as a volunteer park ranger in Victoria Park. Joanna comments “it’s been interesting with all the do and don’ts in place, I have found people to be surprisingly compliant, and really friendly in most cases, I’ve had lots of laughs and good conversations. People are really making an effort on the whole. Food packing for the vulnerable this weekend, I’m hoping to keep working with the council until the end of the lockdown. Me and my fellow volunteers”!

First the bad news!

Stuart Clarke, Senior Trainer at Reapit tells “alas, I too was a moment too late to join the volunteering party at the end of March via the recognised and recommended route of GoodSAM. I then trawled the internet for alternative opportunities far and wide but again with no success due to either the charities being overwhelmed with existing volunteers or a specialist training programme being required for the role. However, as mentioned before in other posts, it’s actually really amazing news that the UK has been completely inundated with volunteers in this time of need”!

So now for the good news!

Stuart decided to look much closer to home in order to play his part and so he contacted his local parish priest who knows him and can vouch for Stuart, with a view to hopefully putting him in touch with some of his key contacts in local care homes. Stuart’s initial idea was to do some sort of online “Care Home Jackanory” – basically reading a popular novel of the home’s choice to a group of residents over a number of sessions each week in order to give them something different to focus on and also the carers a bit of a break perhaps.

It was time for Plan B

Unfortunately, although a good idea on paper, Stuart tells “it hit a brick wall for a few reasons; the main one being that the majority of residents are currently confined to their rooms and so can’t get together – and as you can imagine, almost none of them have their own personal laptop! At that point it was time for Plan B (or was that Plan D by now): anyway, very simply, talking over the phone to any of the residents who are feeling lonely and fancy a chinwag. Needless to say, they’re keeping me fairly busy and gradually driving me insane, but I’m enjoying it though (my word, the stories that some of them have to tell…), plus it’s making me sleep well at night”.

Nigel has hooked up with the community and council initiatives

Nigel Phillips Trainer at Reapit tells “Here in sunny Bournemouth I have been busy shopping for a number of vulnerable people locally, having hooked up with the council and community initiatives. This chap is one regular, who also keeps my gardening skills topped up making sure his ‘Wembley lawn’ remains pristine! Throw in some home schooling, the hours and days are flying past…

Yesterday the big one presented itself!

Signing up to be a council volunteer has given me numerous opportunities but yesterday the big one presented itself! I joined forces with the local tip to help marshal the gridlocked queues. Complete with hi-vis, strong tea and plenty of verbal from frustrated lorry drivers stuck in the backlog, the experience was strangely enjoyable”!

My wife helped me make some scones

Chris Lawson Regional Customer Manager at Reapit tells “I had a delivery of emergency bits to get over to a lovely couple over my way. We were speaking about what essentials we currently miss, and they missed afternoon tea…so my wife helped me make some scones and of course we packed clotted cream and jam! Their reaction still makes me smile now☺”

Please look into donating to your local food bank

Anna Gauge Client Accountant at Reapit tells “I’ve been coordinating collections of food on our street for the Princess Royal University Hospital and the local Food Bank – with the help of a local volunteering group who handle the pick-up and drop off. At the hospital, this helped to stock the 24/7 respite room for the hardworking staff!

If you can do so safely, please look into donating to your local food bank as they are currently in need of help more than ever!

Great response from my local residents

As everyone’s interest in being in the lockdown is dwindling, I thought it was time to arrange another collection to keep the staff at PRU Hospital going and the food bank supplies topped up. Only a couple of weeks down the line and another great response from my local residents! Five very tightly packed parcels are now going to those in need! It was also amazing to see that volunteers are now coming in vans rather than cars to pick up donations!”