I chose to volunteer with Carers Bucks because of something deeply personal. For several years, I watched my stepmother care for my father. Not in a dramatic, headline-making way. Just steadily. Quietly. Every single day.
Being a carer is not a role you clock in and out of. It becomes the rhythm of your life. Watching that up close made me realise how much strength sits behind the word “carer.” It also made me realise how important support is — not just in theory, but in real, practical ways.
At first, I supported Carers Bucks by fundraising through my golf club. That felt like a natural place to start. I already knew the people. I could organise a few things, raise some money, and contribute without stepping too far outside my comfort zone. It was purposeful, and it mattered.
Later on, when I found myself with more time, I contacted Carers Bucks again. I wanted to do something more hands-on. That is how I began volunteering with the choir group in Chalfont St Peter.
My role is very straightforward. I arrive early, set out the chairs, make tea and coffee, take the attendance sheet, and wash up at the end. There is something reassuring about the simplicity of it. No complicated systems. No grand speeches. Just practical support.
Of course, there is also the singing.
Now, this is where things become mildly heroic.
I am tone deaf. Completely. If there were professional judges involved, I would be gently escorted back to the kettle. But thankfully, this is not that sort of choir. No one is aiming for the Royal Albert Hall. The aim is enjoyment. Community. A moment of lightness in what can often be a heavy week.
So I sing.
Loudly. Possibly incorrectly. But with enthusiasm.
What surprises me is how much I look forward to those twice-monthly mornings. They are marked clearly in my diary. When I cannot attend, I genuinely feel disappointed. It has become something steady and grounding. A small but meaningful part of my routine.
What stands out most is the atmosphere. There is laughter. There is warmth. There is a sense of people being understood without needing to explain themselves. Carers often spend so much time looking after others that their own space to breathe becomes limited. For a couple of hours, this group creates that space.
Volunteering does not have to be dramatic or all-consuming. You can do as much or as little as you are able. That is one of the things I would always tell people who are considering it. There is no requirement to change your entire life. Sometimes it is simply about offering a little of your time.
For me, my small contribution means the sessions run smoothly without too much effort from the Carers Bucks staff. If the chairs are set, the drinks are made, and the practical details are handled, they can focus their energy where it is most needed. They can use their time and funding to support carers in deeper, more complex ways.
It may look modest from the outside. A few chairs. A tray of mugs. A man singing slightly off key.
But I have learnt that small, consistent acts of help matter more than they appear. And if my role in all of this is to pour the tea and miss the high notes, I am more than happy to keep showing up.
