Community Transport

Mike and Ashlyn Allum recently started volunteering with Ryde Hunters Hill Community Transport. When asked why they came on board Mike’s answer was, "..after retiring we were looking for a way to use our skills. I have a keen interest in driving and Ashlyn loves to be with people and enjoys helping others." Since coming onboard they have found that volunteering has indeed fulfilled their expectations. "We have met such nice people", says Mike.

They first saw the Community Transport banner advertising the need for drivers and bus assistants. Mike now drives a Community Transport car a couple of days a week, taking local clients to their medical appointments. Ashlyn works as a bus assistant, travelling on the bus with clients to Macquarie Centre, where she helps them with their shopping. Ashlyn also helps out on social outings and the FlexiRide service.

The FlexiRide service is a new initiative of Ryde Hunters Hill Community Transport. The bus travels around the area transporting clients to local shops, cafes, friend’s homes and nursing homes, to name a few. Like all Community Transport services it is door-to-door. It has proved very popular with clients.

If you would like more information on FlexiRide service, call Ryde Hunters Hill Community Transport on 9816 5000.

Linen Service

Sue is a volunteer with North Ryde Community Aid’s linen service, she really enjoys visiting some of Ryde’s older residents, who are still living in the community but have trouble washing sheets and towels and need a little help with bed making.

"Our clients are all so friendly and appreciative of our help, always telling me how they love chatting to us and how wonderful the service is. I really feel I am making a difference in their lives by helping them remain in their own homes."

"I would highly recommend volunteering for this worthwhile program," says Sue.

This program is funded by the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care. It provides a fortnightly linen service to older residents as well as people with a disability and their carers in the Ryde/Hunters Hill area. The service delivers sheets, pillowcases and towels, professionally laundered and provided by Alsco Linen Service.

Easy Care Gardening

Suzanne Krieke is a volunteer with Easy Care Gardening. She has always enjoyed gardening, likes to keep fit and likes to work with others, so this volunteer role is a perfect fit for her.

Suzanne thoroughly enjoys her volunteering work. "I get really involved in it. It has a meditative quality that takes you away from everyday stresses, so it’s a real ‘day off’. And I love chatting to the other volunteers, who are very easy going, friendly and cooperative."

She also takes pride in her work, and great pleasure in the results. "After three hours I like to stand back and see how well we’ve done in the garden. Then I like to get the broom and do the last bit of sweeping. It’s always a transformation when we’ve finished."

Easy Care Gardening provides gardening and lawn mowing services to frail aged people, younger people with disabilities and their carers. The service helps convert gardens to low maintenance ones and ensure that garden areas are safe and enjoyable.

Volunteer Visiting

After Meg Marshall retired, she decided to do some voluntary work with Hunters Hill Respite Care. She volunteers one day a week.

Meg helps the clients buy the groceries, has their prescriptions made up at the chemist and sometimes helps them in the garden. They have a lot of fun throwing around ideas on what should be done in the garden.

She loves talking to the clients and hearing about their lives and families.

Meg enjoys working with the clients and would suggest volunteering as it is a very satisfying way to assist people.

This service is about visiting a frail aged person who is living alone over a fortnightly basis. The visit is an hour or two over a cup of tea or coffee and a good chat.

Meals on Wheels and Volunteer Visiting

Volunteer 1  - Syd Twist

Syd Twist was retired when his wife passed away. He was devastated and lost. He always had a passion for helping other people, so when his life fell apart, he decided to make a contribution to his local community by becoming a volunteer worker.

Meeting people and being active is a source of enjoyment and satisfaction for Syd. He enjoys being part of a good team of people who are always willing to help. He balances volunteer work and other commitments by being organised and not over-committing himself.

Syd recommends volunteering because it is good for the wellbeing, helps with the memory and most importantly, keeps a smile on his face as it may be the only piece of sunshine that his clients see all day.

Volunteer 2 - Henry Lo

Henry Lo went through a very low period in his life due to his marital breakdown. He was at the stage where he was in search of a more meaningful existence. He decided to become a Home Visiting volunteer with Gladesville Community Aid (now HHRCS) and later started volunteering with Meals-on-Wheels.

Henry is glad that he could give back to the community and hope his contribution has made a difference to people's lives. He recommends volunteering to others as it is a wonderful opportunity to connect with people. The experience is rewarding and self-fulfilling.

Meals on Wheels delivers meals to individuals at home who are unable to purchase or prepare their own meals. The service makes it possible for frail aged people or people with disabilities to stay in their own homes.

Volunteer visiting service is about visiting lonely people in their home to provide companionship. Visits can be weekly or fortnightly.

Shopping Volunteer

It was a wrist injury that made Stephanie realise how the simple task of shopping for groceries could become such a challenge. Suddenly, lifting, carrying, reaching for items and pushing the trolley, all became very difficult. Although a temporary injury, it gave Stephanie an insight into the difficulties that many others face every day.
Now a volunteer with the North Ryde Community Aid Shopping Program, Stephanie assists others in the community to make their grocery shopping more accessible.

“I have found volunteering to be mutually beneficial.” said Stephanie. “I have met some lovely people and I really look forward to seeing them each fortnight.”

Volunteering is rewarding work. Many volunteers in the Shopping Program have been with the program for a number of years, often with the same client.

The Shopping Program aims to assist people to remain independent and to being able to live in their own homes. There are three types of service offered to clients and all require the assistance of a volunteer. Volunteers can either escort the client to the shopping centre by car and assist them around the centre, organising home delivery of the groceries; or they can pick up a shopping list from the client and do the shopping on their behalf.

For those volunteers without their own transport, clients can be met off the Ryde Hunters Hill Community Transport bus and accompanied around the shopping centre. This bus goes to Macquarie Centre, West Ryde and Gladesville.

Start Volunteering

Fill in our Volunteer Registration Form