More than just a care agency.

Posted on 10th July 2020

Below is a blog written by one of the CCA team about what she has been doing through her time on furlough. It’s amazing to hear so many stories like this one from our staff.

It really does prove that we are more than just a care agency, our staff don’t just do what they do to get a pay check. At a time where they could have just kicked back and relaxed they have gone out and worked in the community to make the world just that little bit better.

Janes Story.

In March we all heard the dreaded news from Boris that we were going into Lockdown! I was then told that I was being furloughed until it was safe for me to return to the office again. In a matter of days, my normal daily life was completely changed.

As I knew this was going to be for some time, I wanted to keep busy and also be of service to help others who were in need, in these difficult times.

I had seen many reports about vulnerable people of all ages, who were unable to leave their homes to do shopping or collect medication and had no family or friends around to help with these tasks, so I made enquiries to find out about volunteering in my local community.

At this stage the NHS volunteering scheme had not been launched, but I found out that I could become a volunteer as part of the Leeds Community Care Volunteering Programme, so I signed up immediately with Voluntary Action Leeds.

How apt, that the following day, Nicola Parker put a post on the CCA Facebook page from Leeds City Council and Voluntary Action Leeds, about the help that residents could receive from them and how they were looking for volunteers. It was obviously meant to be!

After completing the paperwork, and the online induction training – yes, I also had to do my e-learning at home like many of you are doing at the moment for your refresher training! – I was up and running from the beginning of April.

I was given the task of delivering food parcels to local residents in my community. What should have been a 20 minute task regularly became an hourly task, as the majority of residents had not spoken to anyone face to face in day/weeks and relished the fact that they could have a good old natter!

From all my days volunteering, one delivery particularly comes to mind, of a lady who was feeling quite depressed. She had not seen anyone in months as she had been ill before lockdown and unable to get out. We chatted for ages and when I left, she was laughing and smiling. She actually told me that I had lifted her spirits and had brightened her day.

To me, this just highlighted how important the volunteers were to these residents and I’m so glad I made the decision to volunteer.

I’m now back at work again, but will never forget my time in Lockdown.