A Bath woman, Margaret Silver, is celebrating 20 years of volunteering with local charity Age UK B&NES, and was recently presented with flowers and cake at St Michael’s Day Centre in Bath by day centre co-ordinator Tina Williams.
She began volunteering with the charity when she moved to Bath in 1996.
She said: “I was looking for something to do with my time, and a friend from church encouraged me to join. I volunteer twice a week at the Tuesday lunch club and Thursday day centre, and I also cover for other volunteers sometimes when they’re away.”
Peggy, who regularly attends the day centre, said: “Margaret is lovely and so patient. I’ve been coming for 18 years. We’re so lucky to have the day centre and such lovely drivers too.”
Chief executive of Age UK B&NES Janet Dabbs said: “Volunteers like Margaret are essential to our work, allowing us to provide a full range of essential services for older people in Bath and North East Somerset.
“We have around 170 volunteers providing a lifeline for many of the over 60s living in the community. We really couldn’t provide the range or quality of services for older people, their families and carers that we do without them so we’d like to extend a really big thank you to all of them.
“We also need new volunteers so I’d like to encourage anyone who could give us even a few hours of their time each month to get in touch.
“We need everything from drivers through to befrienders, who can pop in and see lonely older people for a chat.”
Age UK B&NES is a local charity that supports around 12,000 older people, their families and carers every year, with essential services.
If you are interested in developing your skills, meeting new people and adding value to your community, contact Age UK BANES about volunteering.