Volunteer Voices: HCL Transport Lothian
As part of the National Volunteer Recruitment Campaign, we aim to promote volunteering by highlighting the experiences of volunteers in Midlothian. By looking at their journeys into volunteering and the impact it has had on their lives, we hope to inspire potential future volunteers.
We’re happy to share a story from a volunteer driver named John. He volunteers with HCL Transport, a local charity that provide essential services that support people of any age who have mobility challenges.
“I would encourage everyone to get involved in the volunteer sector if they are able, as many groups and organisations are crying out for help. There is a role out there for everyone!”
John
Volunteer Driver at HCL
“I retired in 2019 after 30 years as a Police Officer and then lockdown hit.
My wife had been a nurse for over 40 years until her retirement in 2017, and with the arrival of the pandemic, she volunteered to go to a COVID Ward to help out and ultimately to assist in the vaccination programme.
I felt like I should also try and help out, so in June 2020, volunteered to be a telephone befriender via the Midlothian group “Fancy a Blether”. I was given two older gentlemen to engage with over the phone once a week and did so for the next year. To be honest, I found it difficult to keep the conversation going at times and ultimately realised this type of role wasn’t a good fit for me.
I then got in contact with the Edinburgh Food Project at Sighthill and did some work there for a few weeks before moving on to support the work at the Vaccination Centre at The Royal Highland Showground. This was a massive operation and the role involved welcoming people to the Centre and providing information and reassurance to them before and after vaccination.
The travelling to and from the Showground proved to be problematic so in March 2021 I started to cover the Vaccination Centre at Gorebridge Leisure Centre and worked there until February 2022.
In March that year I began working as a volunteer driver with HCL Transport, based at Loanhead, who provide supported accessible transport for people with mobility challenges in Edinburgh and the Lothians.
I’m still working there today and having done a variety of roles, I’ve eventually found the one that best suits me. I enjoy the driving and meeting the service users who absolutely rely on us to get out and about. As a volunteer I can be really flexible about when I work and the company are always happy when I’m available to help out.
I would encourage everyone to get involved in the volunteer sector if they are able, as many groups and organisations are crying out for help. There is a role out there for everyone!”
My wife had been a nurse for over 40 years until her retirement in 2017, and with the arrival of the pandemic, she volunteered to go to a COVID Ward to help out and ultimately to assist in the vaccination programme.
I felt like I should also try and help out, so in June 2020, volunteered to be a telephone befriender via the Midlothian group “Fancy a Blether”. I was given two older gentlemen to engage with over the phone once a week and did so for the next year. To be honest, I found it difficult to keep the conversation going at times and ultimately realised this type of role wasn’t a good fit for me.
I then got in contact with the Edinburgh Food Project at Sighthill and did some work there for a few weeks before moving on to support the work at the Vaccination Centre at The Royal Highland Showground. This was a massive operation and the role involved welcoming people to the Centre and providing information and reassurance to them before and after vaccination.
The travelling to and from the Showground proved to be problematic so in March 2021 I started to cover the Vaccination Centre at Gorebridge Leisure Centre and worked there until February 2022.
In March that year I began working as a volunteer driver with HCL Transport, based at Loanhead, who provide supported accessible transport for people with mobility challenges in Edinburgh and the Lothians.
I’m still working there today and having done a variety of roles, I’ve eventually found the one that best suits me. I enjoy the driving and meeting the service users who absolutely rely on us to get out and about. As a volunteer I can be really flexible about when I work and the company are always happy when I’m available to help out.
I would encourage everyone to get involved in the volunteer sector if they are able, as many groups and organisations are crying out for help. There is a role out there for everyone!”