Skip Navigation
Volunteer Bucks Home
  • Organisations
Create accountLog in

Contact

  • New Rd, Weston Turville, Aylesbury HP22 5XQ, UK
  • [email protected]
  • 01296 846678
Volunteer Bucks

Volunteer Bucks

  • For volunteers
  • For organisations
  • Contact
  • About us

Join

  • Opportunities
  • Discover Organisations
  • Create organisation
  • Create account
  • Login
  • Help
  • Policies
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms

Powered by Deedmob tools

Post | July 2024 | Volunteer stories | 2 min read

Dave, Rest & Reflect volunteer at Lindengate

Written by

Rachel Fisher
Man on knees holding a small trowel and weeding a flower bed

Dave helps with the charity’s Rest and Reflect programme for NHS and key workers as well as the bereaved.


What is Lindengate?

Lindengate is a Buckinghamshire-based charity that offers specialised gardening activities to help those with mental health needs in their continuing recovery. It has introduced a ‘Rest and Reflect’ programme to enable NHS workers, keyworkers and anyone dealing with bereavement or struggling with the effects of COVID-19 to benefit from the healing qualities of the Lindengate garden.


How did you come to be a volunteer there?

I signed up on the Buckinghamshire Council website to be a volunteer as I wanted to give something back – particularly to help the NHS if possible. It was the Volunteer Matching Service which suggested the role as an assistant for Lindengate’s Rest and Reflect programme. I already knew a little bit about Lindengate as in my ‘normal’ life I am the food and beverage manager at a local golf club and the Lady Captain there had chosen Lindengate as her Charity of the Year.

I liked the idea that it was going to be outdoors and that it would be helping NHS staff so thought I would give it a go.


What was it like when you got there?

I was a bit nervous before I started but I needn’t have been. The people there were so welcoming and there’s a lovely atmosphere. It is a very special place to go.


How often do you volunteer and is it weather-dependent?

I am at Lindengate two afternoons a week, rain or shine. Visitor numbers are not necessarily affected by wet weather, in fact one visiting NHS worker said “she was just grateful to be outside!”


How do you help out with the programme?

On the gardening side of things, I carry out various tasks such as repotting, weeding and pruning roses. As a Rest and Reflect assistant I am on hand to talk to or listen to visitors as they wish. None of us intrude if people don’t want to talk – some people prefer just to soak up the atmosphere, admiring the gardens or the ponds where the ducks and ducklings are also lovely to watch.


What do you gain personally from volunteering?

It is amazingly relaxing, even while doing something worthwhile. I have made lots of new friends and improved my knowledge of gardening too. I’ll definitely carry on volunteering beyond the pandemic.


Was there anything you found surprising?

The thing that really surprised me was how much I enjoyed it and how many lovely people I have met. The Lindengate garden is a hidden gem, a secret garden waiting to be discovered by those who can benefit from its healing effect.


Would you recommend volunteering and if so why?

Yes. It is a brilliant experience – surprisingly both relaxing and rewarding at the same time


2020

Share Post
Related Posts
Bookshelf full of colourful books

'Listing Volunteer Roles on Volunteer Bucks is easy'

| Volunteer stories

Case Study of an organisation using Volunteer Bucks
See more
Gentleman wearing a striped shirt and grey blazer on white background

Sayed - Funding Information and Research Volunteer

| Volunteer stories

Sayed joined the Community Impact Bucks team through Volunteer Bucks as a Funding Information and Research Volunteer to help identify vital funds for local organisations across Buckinghamshire.
See more
Volunteer standing in front of museum

Charlotte - Front of House volunteer at Wycombe Museum

| Volunteer stories

Charlotte has been volunteering with Wycombe Museum as a Front of House volunteer since September 2024. She was one of the first volunteers to successfully match to an opportunity on Volunteer Bucks. How did you out about Volunteer Bucks and the volunteering opportunity? I initially heard about Volunteer Bucks through a Facebook post shared by the Mayor of High Wycombe. When I used the platform for the first time, I thought it was excellent, and I was amazed by the number of roles available. I have shared Volunteer Bucks with several friends because there is so much available - whether you're interested in nursing, gardening, or supporting young people. There is something for everyone. Applying for the role with Wycombe Museum was straightforward. I found the role in a search, applied on the platform, and they got back to me almost immediately. From there I was able to arrange a time to go in for an interview and start volunteering. What is your volunteer role and what does it involve? My role as a Front of House volunteer at Wycombe Museum is varied. It involves being on hand to welcome visitors, supporting with school visits & community events, and general day to day running of the museum. This role also requires me to explain displays, answer questions, and encourage donations when needed. Why do you volunteer? I have the time to spare and wanted to use it to give back to the community. I'm a very social person and volunteering allows me to meet new people, keep active, and use my brain. Volunteering also allows me to have more structure in my week. As a minimum I volunteer on a Friday every week and help out when there are special events too. What attracted you to this role? When my children were little, we visited the museum often as it was local to me. We always had a good time as a family, so I wanted to pay it back - especially as the museum is a free service! I previously has a career in nursing and wanted to step outside my comfort zone to try something new. The Front of House role gives me the perfect opportunity to do so. What are the best bits of volunteering in this role? I love all of it - it's a great team. The Volunteer Manager keeps everything well organised, and I get the change to learn lots. I have been paired with another volunteer, and we've got a plan in place where I can learn something new about an object every week. What's the most challenging part of this role? Nothing is challenging, I just enjoy it! Would you recommend volunteering and if so, why? I would highly receommend volunteering to anyone who is able to offer their time. Gaining knowledge and meeting new people are great benefits. And if people aren't already using Volunteer Bucks, they should! Volunteer Bucks has changed my life - it's exactly what I was looking for.
See more