An Ayrshire widower whose life was touched by cancer is spearheading a new campaign to encourage more people to volunteer.
Dennis Clifford, 76, from Ayr, sadly lost his beloved wife Winnie to leukaemia - six years after she was diagnosed.
Now he is fronting a new campaign to help Macmillan Cancer Support recruit lead volunteers, for its ‘buddying service.’
The charity is seeking volunteers from across the Ayrshire community.
The service supports people with cancer, helping them to feel less isolated by pairing them with a telephone buddy.
Dennis is a lead volunteer with Macmillan Cancer Support and has been giving his time to them for 11 years.
Having witnessed the help the charity gave to his wife Winnie when she was going through her cancer journey, he’s now encouraging people across Ayrshire, with a little spare time, to volunteer.
Originally helping with Macmillan’s cancer information and support services, Dennis moved across to the ‘buddying’ service after the pandemic.
He said: “When all the face-to-face support stopped to keep everyone safe, I was told I could continue my work as a ‘phone buddy’ and I jumped at the chance.
“It’s a great way to support people, to have someone to talk to, someone to listen and help them feel less alone.
“The charity supported my wife and I, when she was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2004, sadly Winnie passed away in 2010 - I’ve always wanted to give something back and say thank you.
“If I can be of help to someone else going through a tough time then I’ve achieved something.
“You get to meet new people and it’s incredibly rewarding.”
Dennis added: “Macmillan are a great charity, they do so much for people going through cancer.
“I wish to remain as a volunteer with them for many years to come and hope if someone is reading this it inspires them to sign up.
“It doesn’t have to take up loads of your time, it’s what you can manage.
“A service user once told me ‘a kind ear and a kind word go a long way.’ The charity needs volunteers. You won’t regret it.”
Heather Foster, volunteering services delivery lead for Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “Lead volunteers are essential for the service and Dennis is a fantastic example of someone who is always there to support other volunteers and service users.
“We are particularly in need for lead volunteers within the Ayrshire community and across the West of Scotland. They play an important role in completing home assessments and supporting matching volunteers with people accessing the service.
“Having ‘a buddy’ to talk to, can really give someone with a diagnosis that bit of extra support. It can help them feel less isolated, or lonely and enable them to talk freely knowing someone is listening.
“I’d recommend to anyone out there that has some free time to give volunteering a go. It’s incredibly rewarding, you can really influence and change people’s lives, including your own.”
Since its launch in 2020, Macmillan’s Buddying Service has supported over 6,100 people across the UK.
Wherever you live, the service will match you with a person who needs support from you through a weekly telephone call. The charity is also looking for people to provide face-to-face support.
To find out more contact Heather Foster on 07458135292 or visit macmillan.org.uk/volunteering.
Applications are currently open, irrespective of whether they have had a personal cancer experience.
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