Care Home Volunteers Receive Support For Training And Recruitment

A group dedicated to supporting care home residents is the latest recipient of funding from a regional housebuilder.

Care Home Volunteers, based in Wiltshire, successfully secured £1,000 after applying to Persimmon Homes Community Champions, a match funded scheme that each month gives away two awards of up to £1,000.

The group is run by volunteers who regularly visit residents in care homes to support people who feel isolated, providing them with conversation and purpose. In the year before the pandemic, the group made nearly 2,500 and this year are committed to making even more.

Norman Edwards, from the group, said: “We are beyond grateful for this award. Our volunteers are supported and trained by professionals and with the money received, we will be able to recruit, train and support even more people. It is such a rewarding and worthwhile role.”

During the pandemic, Care Home Volunteers have not been able to visit in person making it even more difficult for residents. However, this has not stopped the volunteers as they have been raising money to buy tablet devices so that residents can stay in touch not only with the volunteers but with family and friends too.

Norman added: “The tablets allow us to stay in contact. We make phone calls and video calls as well as sending cards in the post. This donation from Persimmon will make it easier for us to do this and it is hugely appreciated.”

Pauline Fletcher, Sales Director of Persimmon Homes Wessex, said: “Care Home Volunteers is the type of group that our Community Champions initiative was set up to support – it’s aim was always to support the communities in which we build.

“The service that Care Home Volunteers provides makes a genuine difference, helping them to enjoy a better life and not feel isolated. We hope that this funding is a real boost to residents and their families.”