LIVE - The magazine for Optivo residents Winter 2017 | Page 8

LONDON
news
Many of our older residents with low level mental health needs can feel cut
off from the world around them; they just need a little help to reconnect.
That’s why we’ve launched our V50 volunteer programme in London. It aims
to help those who may be isolated to feel a part of their community again.
We’ve been recruiting volunteers
aged over 50 in London who
can mentor a resident over
a period of three months.
Find out why Grahame
Newton signed up.
He said: “I was made redundant
from my job in housing and
it’s been difficult trying to get
back into employment. I began
volunteering because I felt it
would help me improve my skills
and learn new things, stimulate
and challenge me as well as give
me discipline and a structure.
“V50 appealed to me because
it was also a chance to give
something back, and I had
experience of working with older
people in my previous job. I really
enjoyed popping in to have a cup
of tea with them and hear all their
stories. Sometimes older people
can be pushed to the margins
and they can become
quite isolated; having
a chat can make all
the difference. It may
be the only chance
they have to talk to
someone in a day
– or a few days.
We had great fun
at our Community
Day at John
Morris House,
Battersea, in
October. Thank
you to all who
came along to
enjoy the music,
dancing, food,
bouncy castle
and face painting!
It was great to
see you there.
“As a volunteer I’m learning
new things and meeting new
people. In addition, I’m also doing
something really worthwhile by
helping older people reconnect
with their communities and the
local resources available to them.”
If you’re interested in a
volunteering role with Optivo,
you can find out more on our
website: www.optivo.org.uk/
volunteers or phone
020 3202 3826.
Residents at Paul Byrne House in Barnet
got into the Halloween mood with these
spooktacular costumes and an evening of
fun activities, including bobbing for apples.
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