“Volunteering has given me a real sense of purpose again” – Molly’s story

My name is Molly, and I am registered blind.

I used to love reading, but after losing my sight, there were so many things I could no longer do. It’s a hard adjustment. That’s when Mary (Mary Sykes, a rehabilitation officer from the Trust’s equipment and adaptations and sensory impairment services) came into my life. She started helping me with mobility training and still supports me whenever I have any issues. Mary was also the one who first introduced me to the idea of volunteering.

I began volunteering with the Trust in May 2019, before the first lockdown. We had just got a group up and running — everything was starting to fall into place. We were even planning our first Easter party! Then lockdown hit. We lost our venue, and the group sadly fell apart.

Shortly after, I went through a frightening experience. I had a serious fall at home while alone and knocked myself out. To this day, we don’t know exactly what happened. I remember coming home around 1pm, but the next thing I knew, it was after 3pm. The experience left me terrified. I stopped going out altogether — I just stayed at home, too frightened to leave.

Mary came back into my life once again, encouraging me to think about starting a new group. We knew there was still a need out there. Through a vision strategy project, we learned that people were saying there wasn’t enough support for visually impaired people — separate from Barnsley Blind and Partially Sighted Association. When Mary asked me if I would consider running something new, I knew immediately: Yes, I want to do this! I’ve always been a people person, and I love interacting with others.

We organised our very first meeting… and no one came! We worried, but we didn’t give up. We kept going — and slowly, people started joining. Now, we have an absolutely fantastic group. We go out for coffees, meals, and walks. When we’re inside, we have quizzes, games, parties — and let me tell you, people are very competitive! Everyone wants to win our little trophy. We’ve had cake decorating competitions, pass-the-parcel games, raffles — the fun we have is unbelievable.

Everyone brings bits and bobs, we buy coffee, tea, and biscuits, and I cover my own bus and taxi fares so I can always be there.

Volunteering has given me a real sense of purpose again. I still have panic attacks sometimes when I go out, but seeing my group makes such a difference. Having a disability doesn’t mean you have to sit at home and do nothing — you can still live, laugh, and achieve so much.