THREE volunteers at the Leonard Stocks homeless hostel in Factory Row, Torquay were celebrating 70 years of service between them this week.
Long-standing Friends of Factory Row, Heather Reed, Grace Hackeson and Viv Westmoreland, all now in the 80s, started volunteering at the hostel in the 1990s.
In addition to organising fundraising events they spend time in the hostel, supporting residents, holding regular games and supper evenings.
At Christmas they were in the hostel wrapping over 50 Christmas presents which residents opened Christmas morning.
Heather Reed said: “I started volunteering in the old hostel when it was just a single dormitory. I felt I could do something important and it’s been very rewarding over the last 30 years. I’ve met people from all walks of life who have just been overwhelmed by life events… and seen them recover. The hostel isn’t full of drugs and alcohol as people think, it does amazing work.”
Grace said volunteering at the hostel has been very humbling. “You see what other people have to put up with in life and still manage to carry on. Many residents here have had very difficult starts in life, I’ve heard so many stories why people end up on the streets.
“Volunteering at Factory Row is something that you can do locally to make a difference in our community. We see so many people rough sleeping now – volunteering here means I’m helping find a solution.”
Viv said: “We have a fellowship of volunteer here, all from different churches. I challenged myself to come and volunteer here, because in all honesty I used to walk passed rough sleepers and look the other way, I suppose I was frightened of them. But coming into the hostel on a regular basis has changed my perspective. People say: “It’s their own fault” but they haven’t heard the stories here. I’ve met people from all walks of life who have become homeless.”
Grace said: “I’ve got a safety net. If I fell on hard times during my life I’d be OK because I’ve had a family around me all my life but many people don’t, which makes them vulnerable.”
The Friends of Factory Row are always looking for new volunteers and donations to fund its work.
Present wrapping in the hostel are long standing volunteers (from left) Heather Reed, Viv Westmoreland and Grace Hackeson