Joy is a volunteer receptionist at Rennie Grove’s office in Tring. She said: “I have known about Rennie Grove for many years because I live in the area where the charity provides care.
“I decided to become a volunteer after I retired in 2017. I gave myself a few months off then wanted to find a role that I could fit in around looking after my Mum that also enabled me to have some time to myself to enjoy my retirement.
“I got in touch with Rennie Grove’s volunteer services team and they invited me in for a chat. We felt that a volunteer receptionist role was right for me and, following an interview and some shadowing of an existing member of the reception team, I joined Rennie Grove in the summer of 2017.
“I work two mornings a week which fits in well around my family commitments. The role is so much more than answering the phone and greeting visitors. For instance I am often asked to wrap gifts, assemble hampers for raffle prizes as well as helping to send out mailshots – in other words stuffing envelopes with leaflets and newsletters! More recently I have been trained to accept donations over the phone which means that callers don’t have to be transferred elsewhere within the organisation and I am also helping to keep some basic records up to date on Rennie Grove’s database and doing press cuttings for the communications team.
“People will be really surprised when they find out just how many volunteering roles there are at Rennie Grove. There is certainly something for everyone whether you want to use your current skills or learn new ones. And it’s great that the charity is flexible so that it can offer hours to suit and one off volunteering opportunities, for example helping at fundraising events.
“I really enjoy volunteering for Rennie Grove. We have a good team on reception and I especially enjoy being able to help out with a wide range of activities.
“Volunteers are all treated as part of the team and we attend the same induction as members of staff. We also receive all the regular updates such as the chief executive’s bulletin and newsletters. These are very useful for receptionists as it means we can stay up to date with Rennie Grove news which in turn helps us to direct callers to the right person within the organisation.
“I would highly recommend volunteering at Rennie Grove. It’s lovely to meet new people and to know that you are helping such a wonderful local organisation.”
"People will be really surprised when they find out just how many volunteering roles there are at Rennie Grove. There is certainly something for everyone whether you want to use your current skills or learn new ones"
Where to next?
Share your story If you have a story you'd like to share, we'd love to hear from you.
Read more stories Meet some of the wonderful patients and families we've had the privilege of caring for.
Volunteer Our Supporting Hands volunteers support local families with practical help and companionship
Make a donation
All of our care is provided completely free of charge, thanks to the generosity of local communities, who fund 80 percent of our care through donations. If you'd like to help too, you can make a donation here.
Donate now