Jackie’s Story: Volunteering for wellbeing

Jackie joined Furzey Gardens’  volunteering team in 2023, following a time of personal loss. Volunteering not only gave her a sense of purpose and new friendships but also supported her mental wellbeing. Jackie feels appreciated and proud to be part of the Minstead family.

Jackie says, ‘After sadly losing my husband of nearly 30 years and then my father-in-law only a couple of months later, I decided at the start of 2022 that it was time to give up paid employment and enjoy life a bit! I was still seeking the need to get up for something, coupled with a desire to meet new people, and so I decided to start volunteering. I am now involved with a number of organisations, but joined Minstead Trust and the Furzey Gardens Welcome and Tea Room team in the summer of 2023.

Since then, volunteering at Furzey has provided me with friendship, laughter and fun! I know that my time spent there is not only helping the gardens and wider Trust, but it is so good too for my own mental health and wellbeing; it has given me a purpose and provides the companionship I need since losing my husband. Whether I am washing up, clearing tables, helping on the till or meeting and greeting visitors at the entrance gate, I always feel appreciated and know that no job I do is too small – every job is important.

The staff and volunteers at the Trust are all so welcoming and friendly and I really feel like part of the ‘Minstead family’! It is a fantastic charity to be involved with and the support and opportunities they provide for people with learning disabilities is amazing. At 57 I hope to have many more years of volunteering ahead of me, many of which I know will be spent supporting Minstead Trust.’

Interested in finding out how you can get involved and make a difference? Get in touch to learn more: Volunteers@MinsteadTrust.org.uk