David was nominated for Disabled Volunteer of the Year by staff at Bede House Association – Learning Disabilities (LD) Services.
See what they had to say about David:
“David has learning disabilities and epilepsy but has completely embraced being a volunteer this very difficult and fragmented year for him. David is supported by Bede House LD services to tend elderly householders gardens in our local area.
He has done this during periods whereby usual support networks have not been able to travel to householders. He has been tasked with keeping garden areas safe and free of debris and trip hazards.
Sue Fairfield, who organises his jobs each week has the most positive feedback from his work.
One householder Mrs AM reported “The garden is now beautiful and i would love David to come back again. All my neighbours have commented how tidy my garden is. Every leaf and bit of litter was removed by David”.
David has taken his volunteering very seriously and would regularly support Time and Talents to deliver food parcels to up to five households each week. David was described as a ‘ray of sunshine’ to those he delivered to each week.
When David returned to his service at Bede House last year, he was upset that all the weeds had grown outside Bede. He wanted to make it look nice again and cleared the entire area and now feels it his responsibility to keep our outside space clear of weeds and tidy. David has to finish a job once he starts something!
David misses doing other jobs for our elderly neighbours such as washing their windows and shopping. He finds it difficult to understand why he cannot go close to the householders he has grown to know. We talk about keeping each other safe and David is getting used to this. When we all had to stay at home he found it very hard not to come to Bede. He kept asking when the ‘World would be beautiful again?’
Whoever meets David whilst he is volunteering, here at Bede for our elderly neighbours and now at Time and talents, always has something positive to say about him.
He is enthusiastic, hard working and prone to impromptu dancing which always makes a positive impression. He now has a little plot of ground at Time and talents to grow plants and keep tidy. He is really proud of this.
David helps support but has shown himself to be a wonderful volunteer for our community”
