When the government lets us down and the powers that be ignore us, when the rich and privileged turn a blind eye to the dire and squalid lives that many have to endure.
When all of this seems so overwhelming and pointless, when any hope or vision of an easier better life is out of reach. The Community Spirit always finds a way to shine through, to make someone’s struggle a little lighter and, yes, I know it’s only a sticking plaster but it’s better than nothing isn’t it?
My first volunteer shift at The Wellspring Centre in Stockport on Wednesday reiterated how important our community is and the dedication and hard work of others absolutely blew me away.
This local charity supports people who are homeless, lonely and vulnerable. It offers hot breakfast, dinner, takeaway sandwiches/ snacks for teatime, you can shower, get clean clothes, see a nurse or doctor, help with benefits, housing, recovery the list is endless.
As I walked through the door at 10am on Wednesday I could feel the positive energy immediately, I instantly knew I had made the right decision to volunteer there.
I was introduced to the kitchen staff who informed me that we had to get 50/60 hot meals and puddings ready for 12.30 so I got stuck in.
What I found really moving was how the public were walking into the centre with gifts, 2 pans of stew ( the women could hardly carry them) a friend of mine came in with cakes she’d baked, a lady of nearly 85 sent her granddaughter with a large apple crumble and did so each week. Independent shops bringing bags of stuff that were going out of date and all I could feel was how fabulous we really are when we pull together, it was an open house everyone was welcome.
It was such a humbling experience and restored my faith in the human race. It’s so easy to be sucked into all this negativity and I admit things aren’t good for most of us, so get involved with your community, volunteer, meet new friends, help others and by doing that you’ll be helping yourself.
There really is a lot of kindness and love around I think sometimes we forget that, as we’re being brainwashed by numerous platforms that it’s all doom and gloom, it’s like society wants us to feel downtrodden and hopeless.
Let’s pull together and prove them wrong ….
