Bill Holland shares his volunteering story as part of our National Volunteering Week 2016 #NVW2016 Consider Volunteering Campaign
LEAVING your job is a major milestone in most people’s lives, but these days active retirees want to do more with their golden years than do the garden and take up bingo.
With huge life and professional skills to offer retirees are becoming the life blood of voluntary groups, sporting organisations and charities across Kerry.
For retiree Bill Holland, a visit to the Kerry Volunteer Centre before Christmas opened his eyes to the opportunities that exist and he’s proving that variety really is the spice of life when it comes to volunteering.
Originally form the UK Bill has been living in Kerry for 15 years and his background in commercial computing is a far cry from the volunteering he is enjoying now.
Bill currently works as a volunteer in the garden at the Baile Mhuire Day Care Centre; as a befriender with SOLAS Tralee, an organisation which organises social outings for adults with disabilities and also as a shop assistant in the National Council for the Blind charity shop in Tralee.
For the last number of years he has also worked as an adult literacy tutor with National Adult Literacy Agency, and the Kerry Education Service.
“Most of it is fairly recent, I just popped into the Volunteer Centre one day before Christmas I told them I had spare time on my hands and they came up with a few things that might suit,” Bill explained.
“I’m a retired block living on my own, I have stacks of time and I wanted something to do that I’d enjoy but also did some good as well,” he added.
Currently Bill offers lunchtime relief on Wednesday and Thursday in the NCBI shop in Tralee, and he enjoys banter with the customers and his co-workers: “Damien, the manager is a great bloke, and the staff are always pleased to see me. That’s probably because when I arrive, it’s time for their break.”
Bill has also been enjoying the start of the summer in the garden at Baile Mhuire after what has seemed an endless winter. But the highlight for him in recent months has been the time spent with the adults on the SOLAS programme.
“I’ve certainly found it enjoyable, I especially get a lot out of the SOLAS programme, they are such warm open, honest people. Now that they know me they come bounding over to say hello- it’s a nice thing really,” Bill revealed.
“It’s so easy, well that I do is easy, I meet up for a couple of hours on a Wednesday evening and try go give them a good time, that’s all. It’s great fun for me and it’s helpful for them,” he added.
Among the activities Bill has enjoyed with his SOLAS friends in recent months is tenpin bowling, and plans for the summer include a trip to Fota Wildlife Park along with a stop off at the Toy Soldier Factory.
Despite taking on four separate volunteering opportunities Bill finds that his commitment is only a couple of hours a day, at most, and he enjoys every minute of it.
And what advice would he offer anyone considering volunteering and visit to the Kerry Volunteer Centre? “Go for it, that’s all I can say.”
“I know that I am an old fella living on my own so why shouldn’t I. There are a lot of people out there with busy jobs and families which could make it more difficult, but if you can find the time it is great experience,” Bill suggested.
