Noreen: “Volunteering gave me new purpose”

69-year old Noreen has lived in Sutton for almost 5 decades and spent 3 years at Volunteer Centre Sutton helping people find volunteering roles that match their skills and passions. She told us how this gave her a new purpose in life:

“When I retired, I didn’t know what I was going to do with myself. I needed something to motivate me to get up and do something in the mornings. A friend suggested volunteering, so I came to the Volunteer Centre for an interview and was amazed at the range of volunteering roles available. I chose to be a Volunteer Advisor at the Volunteer Centre.

The role gave me the chance to meet so many amazing people from all walks of life, and I found that I got such a lot out of listening to people’s stories. Everyone had something to give, to benefit them and the local community and I enjoyed helping them. It gave me something to look forward to each week.

Being a volunteer has benefited me so much that had I not done it I’d have missed out on experiencing a completely different side of life. The people I met through volunteering gave me a different outlook in life.”

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