Upright Citizens

[Drago]

As many of you know, I'm a Search and Rescue volunteer. I'm a qualified Search Manager, of whom there are less than 80 in the UK, so it's a rare and valuable skill.

Now I find myself a man of leisure I'm enjoying retirement but I'm finding the adjustment a little awkward in terms of finding something meaningful to do with my time. I've enjoyed the dog walking, cups of coffee, feet up never missing an episode of The Archers, but feel the need for something a little more substantial to focus on.

So, with that in mind I've put myself forward as the teams Chairman in this months elections. The previous incumbent did a stellar job,and I'm in awe of the work he has done, but he works increasingly abroad so is unable to devote the time he feels necessary to do a quality job. Time is a commodity of which I've no shortage, so I'm well prepared there.

I'm fairly confident I'll get the job, bit I'm not a shoo-in. I reckon I'm 6/10 of getting it. My opponent is less qualified, but more experienced, so in terms of fitness for the role we're probably fairly even. I'll know soon enough.

Anyway, I'll keep you all updated as things progress, but in the meantime I was wondering if any of you fine folk do any kind of volunteering and if so, what do you do?

 

[Mrs M]

I used to volunteer for Cat's Protection
I fostered cats short or long term until they went to their new home.
Was very patient and had great success taming the vicious (frightened) wee feral kittens. Having a tiny hissing, spitting ball of fur transform and climb up and snuggle under my chin, purrring away was magic
Trouble was I kept on keeping them and ended up with 4
Don't do it anymore though as things changed and it became more about the "power trip" of some of the old bags on the committee rather than helping the cats.
Latest cat came from SSPCA.

 

[NorthernDave]

Was on the regional committee of a national charity for most of the last 15 years, including some time as Regional Chairman.
I stood down this year for a combination of reasons: time to let someone else have a go, work commitments and others I won't go into here.

 

[EltonFrog]

Good luck with the gig @Drago .

I volunteer at a cafe run by a charity that helps people with learning disabilities get involved in the community, service users work in the cafe along with qualified staff and caterers, there also two volunteers every day. I go for three hours a week.

I also donate platelets twice a month. You all probably know what that's about but if you don't you can click here .

After the traumatic events of Saturday morning I'm considering find a first responder course or something.

Edited for typos

 

[mark st1]

Reckon you might get blackballed ? Without taking the piss do you get much call for it where you are (which is Milton Keynes way isn't it). Do you travel around or just in your immediate area ?

 

[Salad Dodger]

Not proper volunteering any more, but I used to be a kayaking coach for a local club, which I ended up more or less running on my own, and also for a national club.

I have given up paddling now, but instead have got involved quite heavily with a local ukulele club. We teach beginners, and also run a uke band which operates entirely for charity - we take no expenses for ourselves at all, and any fees/donations received all go to local charities. We also play a number of gigs free of charge to support charities and let them take a collection.

This afternoon I was at our (we don't call it one but really it is a) committee meeting, and tomorrow I will mainly be typing out some songs that we have chosen specially for a couple of upcoming gigs: one is a 60th wedding anniversary celebration, and the other a gig in a home for people with dementia. We sing a lot of "old time" songs for them, in the hope that they might trigger a few good memories.

We have played there before and it is interesting how some people clearly remember some songs, even if they can't remember much else about their past or present.

 

[Sandra6]

Pre-children I ran the youth arm of a local residents committee, I was only 18 so I'm fairly proud of my achievements with the young people, a few have even sought me out in later years to thank me and tell me how I set them on a better path, which was really nice.
As a parent I volunteered in playgroups and schools over the years.
Currently I'm a volunteer with the local community centre, I sit on committees now and again and help out with their playscheme in the summer.
If you have teenage children who may well be looking for paid work soon then I reccommend volunteering in local charity shops as a good way to get experience and a reference. My daughter was helping in Shelter before she got her paid job and she volunteers at the library in the holidays when they run "big read" type activities.

 

[mark st1]

Good luck with the gig @Drago .

I also donate platelets twice a week. You all probably know what that's about but if you don't you can click here .
.

Never heard of that before fair play to you sir

 

[Drago]

Reckon you might get blackballed ? Without taking the piss do you get much call for it where you are (which is Milton Keynes way isn't it). Do you travel around or just in your immediate area ?

I'm not that far from MK, but in a different county. We get about 15 calls a year of our own, and probsbly a similar amount of mutual aid calls to neighbouring teams. Did one last week to Bedfordshire.

The bulk of the work is missing adults, either despondent (suicidal) or elderly (dementia), but we do get children and other such jobs. Also geared up for water rescue, flood response, running reception centres etc, all of which are getting busier in recent years.

We're clearly not mountain rescue, which is a different discipline in the same way cave rescue or the RNLI are, but a number of us are trained in rope work for recovery from quarries, deep riverbanks etc, so there is some overlap in skillsets. We cross-train a couple of times a year with Edale Mountain Rescue so they get to brush up on things such as planning and misper behaviour, and we get to practice some of the technical skills we wouldn't otherwise use so often ourselves.

http://www.lowlandrescue.org/ for more info.

 

[Slick]

Good luck with it, I've always had an admiration for those willing to give up their time for the benefit of others, probably because I've never done it myself. I probably spent far to much of my time working, meaning that I guarded whatever free time I had jealously. I may change that now I'm more 9 to 5.

 

[mark st1]

I'm not that far from MK, but in a different county. We get about 15 calls a year of our own, and probsbly a similar amount of mutual aid calls to neighbouring teams. Did one last week to Bedfordshire.

The bulk of the work is missing adults, either despondent (suicidal) or elderly (dementia), but we do get children and other such jobs. Also geared up for water rescue, flood response, running reception centres etc, all of which are getting busier in recent years.

We're clearly not mountain rescue, which is a different discipline in the same way cave rescue or the RNLI are, but a number of us are trained in rope work for recovery from quarries, deep riverbanks etc, so there is some overlap in skillsets. We cross-train a couple of times a year with Edale Mountain Rescue so they get to brush up on things such as planning and misper behaviour, and we get to practice some of the technical skills we wouldn't otherwise use so often ourselves.

http://www.lowlandrescue.org/ for more info.

Nice one good on you.

 

[marinyork]

I 'run' self help groups for people with mental health conditions, with various other volunteers.

 

[cosmicbike]

Like @User76 , I'm Cub Scout Leader for the local group, have been for the past 6 years. Will be giving up in July at the end of the school year. Kids great, but increasingly the parents treat us as cheap babysitters, and they're all too busy to give an hour of their time once a year.

 

[Slick]

Like @User76 , I'm Cub Scout Leader for the local group, have been for the past 6 years. Will be giving up in July at the end of the school year. Kids great, but increasingly the parents treat us as cheap babysitters, and they're all too busy to give an hour of their time once a year.

If I was going to do anything, I think it would be something like this. I had many happy experiences from Cubs to Boys Brigade, and very fond memories of the men that gave up their time.

 

[Dave 123]

I thought you were applying to be a train conductor @Drago?