Hi! My name is Rebekah and I have been volunteering for Caraway this summer. With a long holiday stretching out before me following exams, I decided to seek out voluntary work and was drawn to Caraway’s focus on the elderly. In reading this I hope that my experience this summer is as much an encouragement to you as it has been to me!
On the administrative side, my work has involved contacting different charitable trusts in order to apply for grants, creating a spreadsheet that serves as a resource for future fundraising. I’ve also really enjoyed writing articles (just like this one!) for the website.
Throughout the summer, I’ve also been involved in the social side of Caraway’s work; helping out at community events like this year’s Holiday at Home has been such fun and they are clearly a joy for everyone involved! More frequent events like the memory cafes – of which I’ve visited 7 of 10 – have opened my eyes to a variety of experiences, helping me come to recognise the struggles our elderly are going through such as loneliness, grief and chronic pain.
However, despite the severe and, at times, overwhelming hardships faced in their day-to-day lives, I have been struck by a persistent resilience in many of the people I’ve encountered; not only in those experiencing dementia and other life-limiting illnesses, but those living alongside them. I remember speaking to a woman who had been up since 3 a.m. caring for her husband, who was chronically ill and wholly dependent on her. The patience, compassion and perseverance with which so many approach their daily lives is the kind of heroism you don’t see celebrated in mainstream media, and reminds me of the verse from the Bible:
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” – Matthew 25:40
Caraway may not be a large nor famous charity, but its work across Southampton is so important: be it welcoming those who are isolated, making cups of tea and conversation, or expressing care and concern for those who feel a burden, it is undeniable that the compassion of its volunteers does not go amiss. The opportunity to witness and be a part of this work is one I am so grateful to have had; my prayer is that Caraway’s impact continues to grow, reaching those across our city who need it most.
If you would like to donate to Caraway’s work, the link can be found here: https://www.caraway.uk.com/donate/