Brian and Eileen - Caldecott Volunteers

When Brian and Eileen Johns started donating Easter eggs to us, they didn’t dream that they would get so involved with the our children and young people.

Ten years ago, avid bikers, Eileen and Brian started donating chocolate Easter Eggs from their biking Easter egg run, to us and another local school. After receiving an invitation to our annual ‘thank you’ day two years ago and finding out a lot more about what we do they began volunteering during their free time.

“We have ‘adopted a house’ at the foundation, which means that we get to spend time with the children whose residence is in that particular house at the charity. This can mean that we spend time taking them shopping, or out for the day, or be a willing diner for their evening meal, which all the kids participate in cooking.

“The success of the volunteering is all about whether the kids accept you, not the other way around. Some have had such terrible backgrounds, that they don’t trust anyone, but when they found out that we came along to volunteer and didn’t get paid, they were far more interested in us! We also don’t look like Mr and Mrs Average with our biking style, and I think that is a good thing, so that they get to meet people from all walks of life who care about their welfare and future and can make a small difference.

“The rewards are when you get a small ‘thank you’ off one of the children, or they come to you to chat about something that you know is personal to them, you know that they trust you or are aware that you are trying to make life just a little better. One of the lads we spent time with had his birthday and said that it was the first time he had received a birthday card!

“We all have a bit of time and I think that when we spend time with the kids, they get that little bit of independence. It isn’t in school or at the foundation and they can decide if they want to go somewhere for a day out.

“I would recommend volunteering to anyone, although it’s not plain sailing, there can’t always be peace and harmony, the kids have been through a lot, but it is the small shows of appreciation that make it touching and so worthwhile.”

To find out more about volunteering opportunities with us, click here.