MAGAZINE

“I feel myself comingalive when I walk throughthose doors”Martin“I was deeply depressed; I didn’t wantto get out of bed. I had done somevolunteering so I looked online andcame across the Ashworth Hospitalbefriending scheme. Neil Tunstall whoran the scheme said ‘come here, we’lllook after you’ – and he has. I wasbuddied up with a patient who had noother visitors and I’m still visiting himtoday.”When Maureen died in 2013 aftersuffering a second massive stroke,Martin and his dad Brian weredevastated.For Brian, a retired teacher, the futureseemed unimaginable. “I had lookedafter my wife round the clock.Suddenly the house was so empty –I’d drop Martin off, come home andburst into tears. I didn’t know what todo with myself.“Martin laid the groundwork for myvolunteering; He said one day ‘whydon’t you just give it a try?’ I knew Ihad to do something to keep my mindoccupied so I applied to the PeopleParticipation team. What struck mewas how cheerful and pleasanteveryone was. They treat you as anequal. I recall one day I was at thesame event as the Chief Executive JoeRafferty and I mentioned I had familyfrom the same part of the world ashim – we chatted as if we’d knowneach other for years!”Collette Irving, Service User and CarerCo-ordinator, knew the value of Brian’sknowledge, experience and skills andinvited him to train so he could sit onjob short listing and interview panels.“It was what I needed. I did the courseand I’ve only recently interviewedpeople for the post of consultantpsychiatrist.”Even so, Brian was a little dauntedwhen the invitation came to put hisname forward for a position on theTrust’s Capital Investment Group.“Martin was struggling with hisdepression so it was a difficult time, butI filled in the form, had an interviewand now I’m about to become a layadvisor helping oversee a budget of£200 million! It’s a big responsibility,but being part of the team makes youfeel that you are doing somethingworthwhile – I feel secure.”For Martin, work now includes twodays at Morris ward at Clock ViewHospital, where he offers support andkindness to men recovering from anacute mental illness.“I love it, Scott Parker and his teamare brilliant – I feel myself coming alivewhen I walk through those doors.”Become a volunteer• Volunteering is the perfect wayto discover something you arereally good at and develop anew skill• You’ll connect with yourcommunity and give a little back• You feel motivated and a senseof achievement from choosing tomake a little corner of the worlda bit better• Volunteering can boost yourcareer options or help with acareer change• You’ll meet new people, findnew interests and hobbies – andhave fun• Inspire friends and family to dothe sameOur army of volunteers is evergrowing – would you like to join us?Your knowledge and skills will makea huge difference and we will helpyou develop new skills and gainexperience in an area of interestto you. We also offer a communityvolunteering qualification. If youwould like to talk to someone aboutvolunteering contact the PeopleParticipation team.Tel: 0151 285 2250 or email:volunteering@merseycare.nhs.uk.You can find out more aboutvolunteering for Mersey Care fromour website: merseycare.nhs.com/getting-involved/volunteer.11