Recognising Our Volunteers

– 8 December 2014 –

At Vasey RSL Care, volunteers are an integral part of our care team, supporting residents to stay involved in their community both inside and outside our residential sites. This Friday 5 December is International Volunteers Day, and we take this opportunity to express our appreciation to our volunteers for the difference that they make each day in our residents’ lives.

As part of our celebration of this important day of recognition, we share the story below of one of our special volunteers at Sir William Hall Hostel ….

Jeanette Spike presents a door prize to Bet Remphrey

Every Wednesday afternoon the war widows living at Sir William Hall Hostel in Ivanhoe enjoy a taste of the high life thanks to the efforts of volunteer, Jeanette Spike.

Jeanette serves the women high tea in fine china cups accompanied by buttered slices of freshly baked orange teacake or scones made to a never-fail recipe with the secret ingredients of ginger beer and cream.

Jeanette began volunteering at Sir William Hall Hostel when her mother, herself a war widow now aged 89, moved into residential care at Sir William Hall three years ago.

“At first I’d only do the afternoon teas once a month and then I started doing it fortnightly and now it has become a weekly ritual that everyone looks forward to, including me,” says Jeanette.

Jeanette also has volunteer helpers from among the women. She’s assisted by two residents, Mary Stone and Helen Gillett, who share the serving and take care of the washing up.

“We serve the tea in Queen Anne bone china, which has to be hand-washed and packed away,” says Jeanette.

“Being able, once a week, to drink tea from fine china and not the usual crockery that has to survive the daily service, makes our afternoon teas that little bit special and gives the women an experience of what they would have had as younger women at home.”

And the scones now carry the memory of Jean Gower, a war widow who has since passed away. Jean was given the scones recipe by her son and passed it on to Jeanette, who says it works every time.

“For as long as I bake the scones, Jean will always be with us,” Jeanette says.