Volunteer Receptionist Bob: the opportunities and challenges
Volunteer Receptionist: in Volunteers’ Week Jane Sheils meets….CAEE Receptionist Bob.
Bob joined CAEE in April 2009 and initially trained as an adviser. After a short break he returned to be our Receptionist on Tuesdays, a role he has filled brilliantly for eleven years.
Reception is a key position role and critical to the smooth running and organisation of the office. Receptionists are often the first point of contact for clients attending meetings with our advisers or dropping in for support.
Bob’s career prior to joining us included serving for 30 years in the Metropolitan Police. He was in the criminal investigation department and worked as a security adviser for the Bank of England. Having retired in 2009, Bob was keen to do some volunteering following a chat with a CAEE trustee. He felt that our charity would fulfil his wish to make a difference to people around him; and like so many of our volunteers he would be particularly interested in helping those in need.
Fifteen years later and Bob still finds his work at this charity work fulfilling. He points to learning new skills, meeting new people from different backgrounds and keeping his brain active.
If you want to know more about volunteering at CAEE these posts cover what you will gain, questions you may have and more experiences from others.
Jane Sheils is Volunteer Publicity Adviser at Citizens Advice Epsom & Ewell.
More here about Volunteers’ Week 3-9 June 2024