Here's the latest news from Darlington Support, a hard working team of volunteers who help others in the town -- thanks to Joanne Cameron for the update.

We at Darlington Support are absolutely grateful to everyone who has offered to support the Royal British Legion over the next two weeks, where we will be based in Morrisons supermarkets assisting the sale of poppies. This will make a big difference to this year's Poppy Appeal.

In September we included an opportunity for volunteers to join Healthwatch to help with social media.  This month we would like to let you know about another unique volunteering opportunity to support Darlington Scouts and share an inspiring story from one of the team members.

NEW Volunteering with Darlington Scouts:

Over the years, the various Scout groups in Darlington have made a positive impact on generations of young people while shaping their lives and teaching them new skills.  However, because of the shortage of adult support, there is a long waiting list for thousands of children across the country to join their local Scout groups.

In Darlington, the Scout groups are looking for adult volunteers to join their clubs.  They have a wide range of available roles to choose from.  These include functions such as trustees, skill sharers, occasional helpers and leaders running sessions with young people.  For most roles, there is no minimum time commitment and you can spend as little or as much time as you can spare.  However, for the management roles, volunteers are expected to attend three meetings a year.

We thought we should share this opportunity with you because it is a new way for members of Darlington Support to make a difference to people's lives while having fun, benefiting from training opportunities and making friends.  If this could be of interest, please contact updates@darlingtonsupport.uk

This video from the Scouts' YouTube page might be of interest to watch: #SkillsForLife https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMGyuucCmuY

SHARING Inspiring story:

We would like to share with you all this inspiring story which demonstrates how when residents ask us for support with shopping, prescriptions, dog-walking and other tasks, they also gain at the same time the friendship of a volunteer, which brings many pleasures with it.

At the start of the pandemic earlier this year, one of Darlington Support volunteers started helping a couple with their regular shopping during lockdown.  At the time, the wife was seriously ill in hospital and she sadly passed away subsequently.

The volunteer continued helping the gentleman with his shopping on a weekly basis.  She was not only a helping hand, but also a listening ear.  The volunteer herself is widowed, so she was able to relate to some of the emotions felt by the resident.

One day, the resident mentioned to the volunteer that he was thinking of donating the belongings of his late wife to charity.  The volunteer suggested that he keep the items that had a special meaning.  She also recommended making memory items from the clothes that he would otherwise give away.

The resident considered the advice of the volunteer.  As a result, he recently received a memory bear and a memory cushion.  He was completely overwhelmed and so grateful for the friendship that he has had with the volunteer over the past months.

The bear was made from a coat and the cushion from a jumper.

When asked where the bear sits, the resident replied: "he moves around...wherever I am, he sits".

The quote on the cushion is from Bob Marley's "Don't Worry about a Thing".