Lewis Barnett, aged 30, is from Cupar in Fife, Scotland. Lewis has been volunteering in our Cupar British Heart Foundation (BHF) shop for the past six years. In 2019, he won the BHF Retail National Volunteer of the Year award for always going above and beyond, boosting team morale, and helping other volunteers.
Lewis began volunteering with the BHF after his local volunteering organisation introduced him to Mike, the Cupar Shop Manager. Since then, Lewis has been volunteering with us 3 mornings a week, mainly working on the till but also helping to tag clothes and process stock.
When asked how volunteering at the BHF has benefitted him, Lewis told us, “Volunteering has helped to provide me with some consistent structure and routine.”
We all can recognise, structure and routine are important for maintaining a sense of purpose, control and lowering our levels of stress, which consequently positively impacts our mental wellbeing.
Amongst this, there have also been many social benefits of volunteering that Lewis has experienced, as he often speaks with customers and members of the general public and meets a variety of different people from across the BHF.
“I have met lots of new people through volunteering, including different members of paid staff within the BHF,” says Lewis.
“Volunteering in the Cupar shop is quite social. It’s a really great bunch of folk here, and we feel like it’s a close-knit group. It’s the managers who have made it feel like this.”
He adds, “The environment that has been created for me whilst volunteering with the British Heart Foundation has been really enjoyable. The manager, Mike, has created the shop to be a really positive place and I feel very valued.”
Lewis continues by sharing how the BHF has helped to provide an inclusive and supportive environment for him whilst volunteering and has also helped to open the door for future opportunities.
“Due to my Cerebral Palsy, I have to walk with crutches, and Mike [the Shop Manager] supports me by ensuring that I always have a seat or stool that I can sit on if required. It’s only a wee bit of support, but it really helps.”
Lewis aims to one day have a career in sports coaching and feels confident that he will achieve this because of his voluntary work and the skills he has developed in the process.
“All my friends at thirty are in paid work: this is my goal. I feel like my volunteering with the BHF will help me to do this. For me, volunteering is my route to getting into paid work. Sports coaching involves meeting members of the general public, which is something I do on a daily basis in the shop.”
Lewis is a fantastic example of how volunteering opens its arms to all, regardless of any challenges that initially may be thought of as barriers.
Thank you Lewis for sharing your truly inspirational story with us and for the incredible support you provide us with here at the BHF.
