What’s Happening in the Third Sector?
‘We’ve talked for hundreds of hours’: the joy of volunteering as a telephone friend
In a recent article for The Guardian, Samuel Burr shares a heartwarming story of becoming a volunteer befriender during COVID-19 and his experience with it throughout the years.
This has gone beyond volunteering, I realise. It’s been almost four years. Hundreds of hours of conversation. Countless stories. Laughter. Secrets. And now tears. It’s no longer charity, if it ever was. We’re friends, simple as that. I will keep calling Pauline, of course I will. I will keep calling until she doesn’t pick up.
Samuel Burr
Befriending was an essential part of lessening the impact of social isolation during the pandemic and lockdowns. Without volunteers like Samuel, many people would have massively struggled throughout this time.
It’s well worth a read if you have a few minutes to spare, read the article here.
UK 2024 Election
It’s UK Election week, whether you’re reading this the day before, or a week after, it’s still important to know how the result could affect you.
NCVO have put together a piece exploring the manifestos of Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party, Conservatives, and Reform and how they could affect the sector.
Other stories:
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