Registered Charity no. 1072538
What people say about Us
In successive surveys over the past seven years, over 95% of clients who responded said that having a volunteer improved their quality of life!
What Clients Say...
" Without the volunteer I would be so totally isolated and would get so depressed and would feel that I do not have a friend in the world because everyone has abandoned me. My volunteer is MY TONIC, MY REASON FOR COPING."
"Those few weekly hours of respite for some of us could mean the line between being able to cope and total impossibility to go on with the exhausting task..."
"When my volunteer first came, I couldn't walk following a stroke. He has given me back a lot of confidence - given me back a life, in a sense. I'm not able to go out on my own, so he's a Godsend."
"The volunteer we have is superb. The time he spends chatting with my husband, or taking him out in the wheelchair allows me to do something of my own. In our situation, the volunteer is a lifesaver."
“We talk about many subjects and he treats me with kindness and respect.”
“Without my volunteer I would never have gone out again. She is wonderful. Keep up your good work!”
“I am very glad of the opportunity to show my appreciation of the help given to my son…He so looks forward to being taken out by <his volunteer> in his chair. He remarked to me <the volunteer> is so nice, Mum, he treats me like an ordinary man. <The volunteer> is indeed a remarkably kind and thoughtful man. My sincerest thanks.”
What Volunteers Say...
"Looking at another person's difficulties has made me forget my own. It makes me feel part of the community. Although I am not paid, I feel wealthy."
"I enjoyed talking and hearing about their lives in the distant past, having a laugh together, and the appreciation shown each time one saw them."
"...The relatively short time I spend visiting someone costs me so little and means so much to who I visit."
"Seeing (my client's) approach towards life is much happier now, that gave me the benefits of confidence, assertiveness, and satisfaction of a job well-done."
“The (Scheme) has an excellent team and the difference the charity and its volunteers make to clients can be quite phenomenal.”
“I feel very grateful to VLS in general and to <Staff members>, in particular, for not only offering me this great opportunity but also for their invaluable advice and support all along.”
“I’ve wanted to something like this for ages, so I am delighted to be able to do it now.”
The Volunteer Link Scheme is Registered Charity no. 1072538