Every year, FearFree supports over 10,000 adults and children across the South-West who’ve been affected by domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking.
Not many people know that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men will be affected by abuse during their lifetime. This means that there’s sadly a high probability that someone in your life, whether a family member, a co-worker, or a friend, is currently in or will be in an abusive relationship.
Volunteers’ Week
To celebrate Volunteers’ Week (3rd-9th June), we are highlighting the work of our amazing volunteers who help support families during their ongoing recovery after abuse. One of these is Sarah.
“I started volunteering for FearFree in 2017. I retired early and always wanted to volunteer for a charity. I saw this article in the local paper for a befriending role which supports people impacted by domestic abuse. I thought it sounded rewarding and interesting. I wasn’t sure if I could do it, but after meeting and speaking with FearFree’s volunteer coordinator at the time, I thought let’s give it a try and seven years later I’ve never looked back.
“It’s the most rewarding thing I have ever done.”
At the moment I’m a befriender to four different women. Each has been through experiences of abuse and after support from FearFree’s support workers, we as befrienders are there to build trust and rapport and help them on that next transition to rebuilding their lives.
I meet up with each person once a week for around an hour, maybe more, sometimes on Teams, sometimes in person … in a coffee shop. I love the role, working and supporting someone on a one-to-one basis. Everyone is so different and given time you build rapport and trust and it’s incredible to see the changes in a person. At the beginning, this person often has no confidence, suffering badly from their awful experiences but slowly you start to see them emerging again. It’s great to be a part of that. Be that person’s support and listening ear.
To anyone thinking of trying the role I say, give it a go! It’s the most rewarding thing I have ever done. The role is brilliant and the support you get from FearFree is great! The guidance, the training, the support … you never feel you’re working alone.”
How to volunteer at FearFree
If you’d like to volunteer with FearFree, you can find their volunteering roles here:
https://www.fearfree.org.uk/support-us/volunteering-opportunities-in-wiltshire-devon-and-gloucestershire/volunteer-in-wiltshire/
There is a role for everyone, whether you can give just a one-off afternoon, or a regular weekly commitment.
