©InfoVolunteering is always rewarding, but how’s this for a good day’s work: David Miller recently encouraged an agoraphobic woman to go out shopping – for the first time in seven years.
Truro resident Annie Lindow (58) has long been afraid to leave her house and, when her supportive sister died five years ago, was unsure how to cope alone. Luckily, her health support worker suggested contacting the Red Cross and very soon David was knocking on the door. Annie hasn’t looked back since.
She explained: “Agoraphobia is the fear of open space. When I open the front door, the ground seems to come up and the sky comes down. Beyond the front gate, I become afraid because I’m in open space and there’s nothing to hold on to. I don’t feel safe going out on my own, so having David there makes all the difference.”
‘It was lovely’
David (73) volunteers for the Red Cross’ transport service and regularly takes Annie to medical appointments. He thoroughly enjoys his role, saying: “I love volunteering – you get to meet so many different people and help them. I only wish I could do more.”
One day recently, returning from the doctor’s, Annie was feeling brave and asked David to help her go shopping – it had been more than seven years since her last trip.
She recalled: “I told him I’d love to go into a grocer’s shop and see all the fruits and vegetables because I just don’t see that sort of thing. Then I changed my mind because I was terrified, but David was lovely and encouraged me to carry on. Even in a wheelchair, I felt like I was going to fall but David’s very strong and safe.”
Regular help
Annie continued: “The shop was quite big so I could look around, even in the wheelchair. It was delivery day and there were fresh vegetables in crates on the floor – lettuces on one side of me and carrots on the other! It was lovely and the people in the shop were fabulous.”
Annie has ME and needs frequent doctor’s appointments so quite a few volunteers regularly help her out. She said: “Without the Red Cross, I don’t know what I would have done – I can’t thank them enough. They always manage to find a volunteer to help me. I’ve got to know them all and they’re all lovely.”