Second in the hot seat is the fabulous Gary, a truly dependable volunteer who always goes the extra mile and his good humour never fails to brighten our day.
To begin, tell us about your journey with The Holly Lodge Centre. How long have you been a volunteer and what initially drew you to us?
I took an early retirement decision at 55 from my post as Associate Headteacher at Grey Court School. I have always wanted to branch out and do other work activities and volunteering. I still work at Grey Court School a day a week, and do some other educational consultancy work. Somehow (???) I seem to have set up a gardening business – ironically it was a toss of a coin between doing a postgraduate course in Landscape Architecture or teaching after graduation in Geographical Science. Recently, I was allocated an allotment and I am applying to be a JP. I applied to be part of the Tuesday maintenance team at The Holly Lodge Centre and also to work with the Paddock School students on a Friday. My interests in gardening and education seemed to be a perfect fit for me at the HLC. Who would have thought retirement would be so busy!
Looking back, what are some of the noticeable changes you’ve seen at the Centre since you began volunteering?
I’ve been at The Holly Lodge Centre for two years now and the biggest change would have to be in the staffing. Pretty much the entire Centre staff has changed! It’s great that there is still the same dedication, energy and enthusiasm however. It’s the start of a new chapter now in the development of the Centre and its programmes.
Could you paint a picture of a typical volunteering session for us? What kind of activities do you typically engage in?
On a Tuesday morning the maintenance team assembles from about 7:30am and don their personas to be the nearest thing to ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ that exists these days. Bird feeding, leaf blowing, site checking etc starts us off before we get stuck into the main tasks for the day. This is often seasonal but can include planting whips, cutting back brambles, donning some waders to enter the pond (but why is that always me?), building a dead hedge, watering and digging (lovely!) to name but a few tasks. I also volunteer on a Friday too, but more of that later…
In what ways has volunteering at The Holly Lodge Centre enriched your life?
Friendship, friendship, friendship. Teachers tend to work with teachers (obviously), socialise with teachers and often marry teachers (twice in my case, though not at the same time)-and then their children go on to be teachers! I have met a real range of wonderful new and interesting people at The Holly Lodge Centre, some I know I will remain friends with for years to come.
What aspects of your volunteering do you find most rewarding?
Friday volunteering with the Paddock School is very different. It’s a calm and gentle experience with a small group of students who have special needs. We start by introducing ourselves using Makaton in the classroom before heading up to the allotment to do some light gardening tasks. We always have a picnic up there and talk about the jobs we did before heading out to the nature trail to look in the discovery boxes and do some pond dipping. The plenary at the end is most humbling. Many of the Paddock’s students are non-verbal but with patience and encouragement, all can say something about their morning or point to a picture chart. It’s so great that these young adults can get an experience like this where they can be outside learning new skills.
Are there any particular workshops/activities that resonate with you? If so, what makes them special?
Raking – it helps maintain my perfect six pack.
Share a memorable moment or highlight from your time volunteering that stands out to you.
Sitting in a tin bath dressed up as a Victorian bather and dressing up as a six-foot bunny rabbit!
If you were to inspire someone to volunteer at The Holly Lodge Centre, what would you share with them?
I would say to come and visit the Centre. Words cannot describe the community feeling that exists and how much people of all ages, from primary school age to octogenarians, enjoy their visits. Apart from doing good for others, it certainly boosts your own well-being.
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