An interview with a volunteer - Thom

27-year-old Thom has been a volunteer with OWLS since June 2023. He gets involved with the art class every Tuesday, but has also been involved with the IT group, the cooking class, and walking. Originally, Thom put himself forward to do befriending (making friends with older people) but was put forward for the art class by Volunteer Co-ordinator Zoe, who thought it suited him. And how right she was!

Thom loves getting involved with the art class, ran in collaboration with Left Bank, Leeds, which explores everything from lino cutting to sketching, clay modelling, and textiles. He is also a sporty guy, having recently ran the Rob Burrow half-marathon on the behalf of OWLS. Running 13.1 miles was a huge challenge for Thom, having never been a runner before. In fact, he didn’t believe he was going to be able to do it, but seeing the smiling faces of the members cheering him on encouraged him to cross the finish line and is now fondly recalled upon as Thom’s favourite memory at OWLS.

“It’s good for you in the long run”

Since volunteering at OWLS, Thom has had an increase in happiness and confidence, claiming that the positive environment was good for him in the long run (pun intended), adding a new dimension to his life. It has also allowed him to meet all sorts of people that he would never normally meet, living in a student area; “I’ve been in Hyde Park in Leeds for six years. It’s a bit of a student bedlam most of the time – but when I’m delivering the magazines for example, it’s like “oh yeah, so-and-so lives here", it makes you feel more plugged in.”

“Go the extra mile!”

When asked why he became a volunteer, Thom said that he wanted to be more active in his community; “it’s all well and good begrudging things or wanting things done differently, but if you’ve got a bit of time to spare, it’s time you can give.”

So, for those considering volunteering, why not go the extra mile?

Ready to run...