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Volunteers Week
Volunteers’ Week Spotlight: Bob’s Story
Written by amber | Published on 01st June 2026
This Volunteers’ Week, we’re celebrating the incredible individuals who give their time to support others and strengthen communities. This spotlight is on a volunteer from Welcome Friends, a programme that connects volunteers with older adults to help combat loneliness and social isolation through companionship and support. Through regular visits, phone calls, and meaningful connections, volunteers help people over 50 feel more connected, supported and part of their community.
Tell us a bit about yourself
I am retired and live in Radyr. I had time on my hands and thought about doing volunteering work.
How did you get involved?
My daughter started a job as a project manager within a charity and thought the volunteering work was suitable for me. I used to have a busy job in construction, dealing with people in trenches and CEOs, which gave me the opportunity for dialogue with people from all different walks of life. I enjoy talking to people and I feel that it’s important to choose the right volunteering role that suits you.
What difference has volunteering made to you?
I feel that volunteering broadens your horizons and helps you appreciate difficulties and challenges that you might otherwise not be aware of. It gives you an opportunity to see another point of view.
What difference has volunteering made to your organisation?
From volunteering, I have found that there have been situations where lonely people appreciate being visited and having a natter. This might be a small thing for others, but often such people with very little family support really appreciate a visit from myself and fellow volunteers, giving them a weekly routine and something to look forward to. I have noticed over a period that their attitudes and outlooks improve. I feel that it’s a privilege to volunteer and to meet these people and have found, universally, that people have their own stories to share.
What would you say to encourage others to volunteer?
I feel it’s important that if you have free time to put into volunteering, you get out more than you put in. I think that it’s important to match your volunteering role with your own character, abilities and experiences. There are a wide variety of things volunteers can do, but they will always be rewarding. Obviously, it’s a different culture from being employed but invariably, you will be dealing with the public at large to some degree. Consequently, you might need a little more patience than you may be used to and sometimes you might have to bite your tongue.
What 3 words would you use to describe volunteering:
Challenging, varied and rewarding!