Volunteer Spotlight | Bev Ward

Volunteer Spotlight | Bev Ward

It’s National Volunteer Week, and we love our volunteers. We’ve got some great stories to tell about some of our volunteers, about why they serve, and what they love about volunteering.

First up, meet Bev.

Bev’s a retired nurse, and if you’ve been around St John’s or St Katherine’s, you’ve probably know her, or have heard her laugh! Bev serves in the Aged Care facility Leith Park, where she lives, leading sing-a-long sessions for (as she puts it) the ‘oldies’. I sat down with her and asked her about her role, and she was full of joy and enthusiasm just from talking about it.

I asked Bev why she served in this position, and she told me that God has given her the gift of musical ability, and she loves to use that to bring joy and cheer to those later in life. Bev’s mother used to live in Leith Park,  and Bev would visit and play an otherwise unused piano for the residents. Her mum would often join in a duet with Bev, playing the mouth organ!

Bev’s personality and desire to bring joy into people’s lives is reflected in her dress sense, and she loves to wear bright clothes and silly hats to bring that joy with her, wherever she is. When I asked Bev if she would recommend volunteering, she said she would, to anyone! Bev remarked that she often feels like she’s getting more out of it than those she’s serving, and loves the conversations and stories she gets to share with others.

Bev leaves us with this challenge, echoing the words of Jesus: Get involved, and give back to the community, in the same way you’d hope to be cared for in the future.