Jo Denyer: Volunteering by caring for animals and cooking healthy food

Jo Denyer volunteers at Minstead Lodge’s animal care and cookery group. Find out more about her experience from her point of view.

I’ve volunteered in the past so when I was lucky enough to have a little spare time, I looked for, and found, a voluntary role I knew would give me heaps of job satisfaction. Being flexible, and enjoying variety, Minstead Trust seemed a great option and it’s been a lot of fun so far.

Starting in Animal Care showed me how well the people we support work together, not only getting important jobs done at their own pace and in a safe manner, but also allowing their strengths and personalities to add to the achievements of the group.

Similarly in the cookery group, everyone is really keen to participate. Some, with encouragement, pushing their boundaries and others enjoying a little independence and taking on new responsibilities. Everyone throws in ideas for the next session and we incorporate seasonal produce picked on the day from the Minstead Lodge veggie patch. We are all proud to share our (usually!) healthy, tasty creations with our Minstead friends!

If you’d like to find out more about our volunteering opportunities, visit our volunteering page.