Alzheimer Scotland is lucky to have an army of volunteers who all give their time selflessly to help make sure nobody faces dementia alone.
As we slowly move out of the pandemic, we continue to focus on all we can do to support people living with dementia, their families and carers.
Our volunteers have remained committed to us throughout, supporting either online or in person across Scotland. Whether it's answering calls on our helpline, cheering at fundraising events, supporting our local services and everything in between, their time has been invaluable to us.
Our gratitude to our volunteers lasts all year round, but Volunteers’ Week is a perfect opportunity for us to take stock on what has been achieved.
The dementia community was hit particularly hard during the pandemic, and so we want to pay special thanks to the 60 Helpline Volunteers who have answered approximately 20,300 calls since going into the first lockdown on the 23rd of March 2020. They have spent over 2620 hours on the phone listening to our callers and providing support, whether it be emotional support, information or signposting onto other services. Our Helpline volunteers are available 24/7, 365 days a year.
A highlight for us this Volunteers’ Week is the official launch of our Alloa Brain Health & Dementia Resource Centre. The opening of the Centre, which is the first to introduce a Brain Health Hub, was made possible thanks to a dedicated team of volunteers. The former Stirling and Clackmannanshire branch of Alzheimer Scotland, now Friends of Alzheimer Scotland Volunteers, raised a mammoth £100,000 to contribute to the creation of a local resource centre in the area.
As we open back up, we’re thrilled to be welcoming volunteers back into our Dementia Resource Centres and into the community. In the past year, we were also delighted to re-open our two charity shops which are staffed by volunteers.
Our volunteers have been there every step of the way and we want to use Volunteers' Week to say a huge thank you to each and every one of them.