“Volunteering at The Food Chain gives you a great sense of community and friendship.”
“I filled out a volunteer application form because I think that volunteering should be a natural thing that we all do to reach out to others in the community. I enjoy connecting with people and making a difference in a small way.”
Ever the altruist, Ben, Head of Science at a secondary school, has volunteered with us as a bar staff member at Reading and Kenwood festivals, a kitchen assistant and a lead host for Eating Together. Here he comments on the social side of volunteering:
“I love the social aspect of volunteering and I’ve met some of my best friends through fundraising events. I feel a lot of satisfaction through connecting with other people and you get to meet new volunteers all the time, depending on what shifts you do. When I’ve volunteered as a Lead Host, you get to spend time talking to service users which I love and of course, eating a delicious lunch together! I’ve gained a greater understanding about HIV and have been lucky enough to listen in on some of the talks given by the Dietitian which are very interesting.
“I would say that volunteering at The Food Chain gives you a great sense of community and friendship. It is an opportunity to show your kindness and to learn about how connect with others. There are a lot of skills involved when dealing with a range of different people and I feel I’ve really learnt how to empathise with people.”