'LOVE IN LOCKDOWN' EPISODE 4: 'GOOD HEARTS AND GOOD WILL'

 

'There are simple yet effective ways to help others throughout lockdown and onwards'

With my 'Love in Lockdown' series focusing on stories surrounding good will and selflessness throughout lockdown, I've been passionate about sharing tales of happiness, comfort and support to bring us together through this challenging time, put smiles on faces and most of all, encourage others to do the same. Encouraging caring for ourselves and others in ways that we can, and learning about the work of charities and how to help out is an effective way of doing that.

A friend of mine has kindly been working for two charities throughout Lockdown, whilst continuing to work in order to fend for herself, she has been selfless and giving in using some of her time around her own work to support these two charities. One of which is 'City Harvest', a London surplus food redistribution charity, and the second is a drug and alcohol recovery service. It's hearing from individuals and volunteers like this that inspires others to do the same, particularly when in giving a little you are helping a lot.

IN CONVERSATION WITH THE VOLUNTEER:

'You never know what someone else is going through, never assume someone else's experience.'

I was lucky enough to find out more from my friend in order to share and spread awareness of both charities, their work and how to get involved. She is twenty three, and whilst working for these charities she is also an actor and a brand ambassador for an Irish distillery. 

'City Harvest's work is amazing', she told me. 'They take the surplus or food waste from donations, restaurants, cafes and companies and send it back out to support those in need. I was based in the warehouse, sorting the food that comes in and gets to delivered to ensure it can be sent out wherever it's required. We were getting so much delivered and sent out to people, it's amazing what they do, particularly during Lockdown.' she shared.

'The other I have been working with is a drug and alcohol recovery service, I've been in working with them in Wokingham, they're commissioned by the council. They work with people with alcohol and drug dependencies, helping them reduce and feel supported alongside any other social services or agencies that they might need. I work specifically for the young persons group one day a week.' she informed me.

'I didn't do any volunteering prior to Covid' she claimed. 'I think Covid was a massive thing for me, it was a massive thing for everyone obviously, but it massively changed how I look at my place in the world. It sounds very cheesy but I really thought about my value and leaving this world better than I found it.' 

'I'm lucky', she stated. 'I was born into a family with a reasonable amount of wealth, I'm white, I was privately educated, so I've got a lot of privilege. I felt this overwhelming urge to give back and also I felt really useless.' she admitted.

'So that's when I looked around and found City Harvest, it was 4 hour shifts and physical labour so pretty hard going, but I did that throughout lockdown. I wasn't furloughed so I was doing it alongside my other work as well, I did over a hundred hours with them. From that it became clear that I loved volunteering but I wanted to try and find something a little more appropriate for my own skills' she shared. 'As an actor I love communicating and talking to people, I also used to be a water board instructor for kids, I enjoy working with young people'.

'It was actually my mum that found the other charity, she knew I was looking for something like it, supporting young people and talking to them, so I was interviewed and began working with them. I love it, all the team are so nice', she declared.

'My favourite thing is watching someone find their own strength and power, it's one of the most rewarding things. In one of my first shadowing online sessions one of the individuals we were working with opened up about how they felt they'd succeeded. I wasn't even involved in their recovery and I got this overwhelming sense of pride, trying to hold back my tears, it's amazing helping someone get their life back on track and know that maybe just turning up or being with you has helped provide them with the strength to stop them from using today', she said.

'I feel like me sat at home watching Netflix doesn't so much. I could be doing that, there is nothing wrong with that, there's a lot of education there, but at a time where everything felt so static helping others brought a purpose and sense of feeling good that both I and those I was helping needed', she admitted.

'It's very exciting at the moment. We're working to set up an online chat centre. Because of Covid and being unable to have as much face to face work or going into schools etc, we want to have a resource that enables us to chat to others when they need it in the moment. The way we usually work is referral, assessment and then a care plan of some kind. But there's not really a resource for chatting, sharing, asking questions online or elsewhere. It's something I'm really excited about', she declared.

'I've learnt so much about drugs and alcohol', she claimed. 'About harm reduction and how to support others, about having no judgement and compassion for people. When you do this you can often think of people struggling with addictions to substances as very far from yourself, or assume how they got into that position, but speaking to these people you realise actually we're all human and the steps to casual dependency are closer than we sometimes realise, it's so easy for it to happen. Often the people in these situations are using it as a coping mechanism for something else going on in their life, and anyone can have a crisis in their life', she shared.

'I'd encourage others to educate themselves on substances, for yourself and others. It's really valuable to have a suitable way of discussing these things and a language around it. Reaching out, helping others and educating yourself simultaneously. Also, you never know what someone else is going through, you can never assume someone else's experience. Never assume you have it worse, that's a big thing I've learnt as well.'

'Getting involved is super easy. Check out their websites and theirs volunteer information on there. Volunteer jobs are advertised with the substance recovery service, and you are then interviewed. With 'City Harvest' (https://www.cityharvest.org.uk/) there's a place to read more, sign up for shifts, they're 4 hours and on your first day there will always be people there to help you and show you what to do. There is a warehouse in Acton and Spitalfields Market, she informed me.

'It doesn't have to be time consuming or difficult, you could do 4 hours once and you're not committed forever, it's so easy to make a difference. 4 hours is a little time but the amount you help other people is insane and you'll feel great for doing it', she smiled.

'Even without getting involved with a large organisation, during this time there is so much you can do with little gestures, helping friends and family. You don't have to have anything ground breaking, and sometimes it's best to not talk about Coronavirus but others things. Reaching out to people, because it's a really hard time. Everyone reacts differently, it's important to forgive people and help others as well as ourselves. 

'There's so much you can do if you look out for it. It's like a bug... once you start you can't stop'.