Ruth Rolle volunteers with the South London Community Support Service three to four times a week. The service, which has one full-time member of staff, is funded jointly by Jewish Care and Nightingale and relies heavily on volunteers to cover the wide geographical spread of the community. Getting around south London is not easy yet Ruth, who is a wheelchair user herself, manages to travel all over London, including coming 'north' for volunteer training and meetings, using buses, underground, British Rail,Taxicards and Dial-a-Ride.
Ruth facilitates a monthly supportive community tea party in Streatham, researching and preparing activities for the people who attend. Before each tea party she will ring round everyone to remind them about the tea and make sure they are coming. She goes early to chat with people, checking on how they are, and often helping them with any admin problems they may be having.
Ruth carries out research for South London Community Support Service member of staff, Stephen. The research may be on local services that could help a client. In her own words, a computer geek, Ruth will research on line, but then will call up to check out extra details about services such as availability, timings, transport. She will very often then be in touch with the client direct, always checking that they have all the information they need and seeing if she can help with anything else.
South London has a cross community forum that meets three to four times a year and brings together representatives of all synagogues and services. Ruth attends all of these, acting as a steward, and generally making people feel welcome.
She often advocates for clients with awkward issues, and her tenacity and innate charm yield amazing results. For example, a couple who had a rat infestation from an empty property next door to them; Ruth took the matter up with their local MP and managed to get it sorted out.
Ruth is articulate, intelligent, compassionate and most important loves helping people improve their lives. She does this in a way that puts the clients at the centre of the solution and works with them to ensure they get the result they are looking for.
Her personality, humour, vivaciousness, and ability to get on with everyone, whilst putting her own issues to one side, means we see Ruth endlessly willing to give of herself and endear herself to the south London Jewish community.