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Why Gill Chose to Volunteer

Gill has been volunteering at CAMEO for two days a week for the past two years, and her motivation was simple and honest.

Retired and living on her own, Gill knew she wasn’t someone who wanted to sit still. When she finished work her weekdays felt like “a blank sheet” and volunteering gave her structure, purpose, and something to look forward to.

CAMEO supports people living with memory problems, welcoming adults from as young as 44 through to their 90s. The day care provides vital support not only to those attending, but also to their families and carers, offering much-needed respite alongside meaningful, stimulating activities. Many families comment how they don’t know what they’d do without CAMEO.

Gill’s shifts at CAMEO on Mondays and Thursdays suit her perfectly. Alongside this, she also volunteers locally at The Walled Garden gallery in Sunbury, on an ad hoc basis. But, for Gill, volunteering isn’t about filling time. It’s about being active, involved, and connected to her community.

The Joy of Connection

Gill loves interacting with the clients at CAMEO, learning about them and offering support tailored to their individual needs. No two days are the same, and no two people are the same. She enjoys adapting, responding, and finding what works best for each person.

Music, she says, is especially powerful. Certain songs can light people up, bringing them out of themselves in a way nothing else quite can. Watching that transformation, even briefly, is incredibly special.

Gill is also honest about the harder side though and has learned to accept that clients will deteriorate with their condition.  But she just adapts as they need additional support and knows that her presence is helping them as well as giving families and carers a break.

As well as the clients, she equally loves working with the staff and has formed strong friendships with staff and other volunteers, including joining a craft group with two CAMEO staff members outside of her volunteering role. She feels that it really is a CAMEO family where she is valued and belongs.

The continuity of volunteering regularly, with the same people, is what makes those connections possible. Turning up week after week allows trust, bonding and genuine relationships to grow.

An unexpected personal transformation

A big part of Gill’s story is how volunteering has changed her. Naturally reserved and someone who doesn’t enjoy the limelight, Gill never expected volunteering to build her confidence so much. Yet through working with clients, leading activities, engaging groups, stepping forward when needed, she has found herself growing in ways she hadn’t anticipated and has been able to take that confidence into other areas of her life.

 

The Power of Laughter

When asked what gives her the greatest sense of satisfaction, Gill recalls a moment when one client unintentionally made the others laugh, and suddenly the whole table erupted with tears rolling down their cheeks. They were filled with joy.

For some clients, especially those who live alone, that moment of shared laughter can transform their entire day and Gill loves being a part of that.

A Message to Anyone Thinking About Volunteering

Gill’s message to others is refreshingly straightforward: you’ve got nothing to lose.

Volunteering, she says, is different from employment. You’re there because you want to be. You can choose what you do, try new things, and discover what you enjoy. And she encourages people not to just give it a week but a real block of time. If one role doesn’t suit you, there are so many others.

Volunteering locally also helps you truly get to know your community. Unexpected opportunities and connections grow from it. Gill herself has discovered skills for organising and bringing people together including coordinating a community project where two centres collaborated to knit poppies for Remembrance Day. The display, shown at Shepperton roundabout, became a powerful symbol of togetherness and comfort for the community.

 

Speaking with Cheryl Bruce, the Deputy Manager, whose connection to CAMEO runs deep, she explained about CAMEO and why it has a special place in her heart and in the community. Her mum volunteered there for over 20 years. Her husband now works in the kitchen, and her daughter has also worked for years at the centre. For Cheryl, it isn’t just a workplace, it’s part of her life. She describes it as a family, and says that volunteers like Gill are very much part of that.

“Gill is like one of us,” Cheryl explains. “She does whatever needs doing. She’s reliable, committed, and always willing to have a go at anything.”

Volunteers play a crucial role at CAMEO. They help support visitors throughout the day, but they also support the staff, creating a calm, warm environment where everyone feels cared for.

 

 
If you would like to volunteer, we have so many different roles available across so many different types of organisations. Drop us a line and let us know what your interest is. Contact us at [email protected] and we’ll be in touch.