When time is what you have – volunteering might be just the answer

When David Hall took early retirement at the age of 54, he suddenly found himself with more time than he knew what to do with.

As a former IT Consultant, owning his own company, he was used to being busy and after a few years out of the job market he felt the need to keep active, do something meaningful and give something back to his local community.

It was whilst out on a walk one day that he clocked a poster in a charity shop window in Neath, advertising for volunteers who were ‘good with books.’ He didn’t hesitate and went inside.

“I mistakenly thought it meant financial ledger books when I saw the sign,” laughed David. “But it was for someone to arrange and sort the reading books. I got talking to the lady who worked there and struck up a conversation about my interests and how I could help, letting her know the days and times I could volunteer.

He adds: “We are now both busy in the Tenovus Cancer Care shop in Cowbridge, where Claire is the manager and I still volunteer three times a week.

“I use my hobby of coin collecting and identification to make the Cowbridge shop the go-to place for coin collectors in Wales. It’s a hobby I’ve had for many years and as I know people in the industry it makes it easier to identify coins that our valuable and of high interest.”

Together with Claire’s hobby of sewing and crafting very popular, bright and vibrant fabric bags, the couple who live in Neath are a winning team in demonstrating just how volunteering can change lives.