Stuart Wills' Story

A career change for Stuart

Until last year, Stuart worked in a high-pressure sales job, which was making him increasingly unhappy. Stuart’s career was not only stressful, but it meant he spent the majority of his time working alone, which is something that he hated. So, in 2015, he decided to quit.

Then, one day, whilst in the library just down the road from his home, he discovered a leaflet for Braeburn Lodge saying that they needed volunteers to help with activities and events. It had never even occurred to him that care homes would put on activities for residents, so he visited the home to learn more and find out what he could do to help.

“I wanted to put something back into the community. I was looking for something that would give me satisfaction and help me to meet new people. Volunteering does all of that. Being at Braeburn Lodge is an outlet for me too; it gets me out of my space.”

Stuart has made a big difference since he started helping out at Braeburn Lodge and has become a favourite amongst many residents. He even attended a handling and lifting course so that he would be able to offer even more support.

“I assist the Activities Coordinator in any way I can, including going on outings and setting up events. I also spend time chatting to people at the home, making sure they have some company. If someone is less mobile, I help them to get involved, by helping take them downstairs or bringing some of the fun to them.”

The future is looking bright for Stuart. A vacancy recently opened up at Braeburn Lodge for a position as a paid member of the Activities Team so Stuart applied. We’re delighted to say: he got the job!