Retirement means different things to different people. For some, it offers the prospect of exotic holidays and endless afternoons on the golf course. Others are more altruistic.
Charities report an increasing number of volunteers of pensionable age, in many cases maintaining a long-term commitment.
For example, Jewish Care — which touches the lives of 10,000 people on a weekly basis — reports that 2,100 (or 70 per cent) of its 3,000 volunteers are 65 or over.
They help out with anything from befriending and driving to running social groups and assisting with Shabbat services.
Neil Taylor, Jewish Care’s director of community services, says that volunteers save the charity around £9 million annually, making the contribution of senior citizens worth in excess of £6 million.
“Fundamentally, people want to volunteer to support people who are more vulnerable than them. That’s why social care organisations are more successful in recruiting volunteers than other parts of the community.
“It has always been the case that when people retire, they want to be active and want to contribute. For many, volunteering is a manifestation of their Jewish identity. Often it’s recognition that they may not be able to give money but they can give time.”
Cyril Marks, 83, set up and runs the Friends of Lady Sarah Cohen House group. Mr Marks spends much of his time planning fundraising activities. He also produces an annual calendar of events supporting the Friern Barnet home. A quiz, garden fete and Chanukah raffle are among the highlights.
“My late wife was in the home when it opened 20 years ago, so that’s how I got involved,” he recalls.
“When she was alive I went every day and I still go most days — it’s my second home.”
Mr Taylor cites this as an example of how many volunteers become involved through a family link. “Quite often it’s the case that people have been coming to visit their mum or dad or other relative. If they pass away, those visits continue because they made a connection with the staff or a particular care home.”
Charities try to tap into the skills developed by older volunteers during their professional careers.
“We ask people where they think they can contribute and we set that against roles we create,” Mr Taylor adds. “We don’t just recruit volunteers for the sake of it.”
At Jewish Blind & Disabled, chief executive Hazel Kaye says that with tenants ranging in age from early 20s to over 100, a mix of volunteers is important.
“The volunteers themselves get so much from it, especially those who have retired. Many have told me it has given them a new lease of life after a long career. They form friendships, enjoy experiences and take on challenges they never thought they would.
“We also find that while our retired volunteers love spending time with tenants who are around the same age and are still very lively and independent, they especially enjoy being around the younger tenants. It really is something that benefits everyone.”
Among JBD volunteers is Minnie Solomons, 99, who lives independently in a warden-assisted home.
For half a century, she has run exercise classes for charities and still visits JBD’s Milne Court in South Woodford to conduct chair-based exercise classes for tenants.
Her granddaughter Naomi Lyons sees Mrs Solomons as an inspiration.
“She’s going to be 100 in June and I think some of the people who come to her classes are in their 70s. She’s really stubborn, so I imagine she will keep on doing it for as long as she can.”
Another JBD volunteer is Madeleine Wilton from Harrow Weald. For the past 18 months, she has helped to run a discussion group at a JBD property.
Mrs Wilton — who is in her late 70s — says she had wanted to find a new volunteering opportunity after a committee she headed disbanded.
“It has given me a new lease of life which has been absolutely amazing. They are lovely, lovely people; very knowledgeable and very grateful.
“We have done Donald Trump to death — and he’s still alive! There was another conversation about the woman who was reunited with her parents years after being kidnapped and they all had a lot to say.
“Last week, one lady told us that she had been a secretary to a politician and told us about her work. It was so interesting.”
Not all volunteers retired from work are pensioners.
When Laurence Bowman, 64, took early retirement, he moved from Edinburgh to Bushey to be near his grandchildren.
Five years ago, he joined Norwood’s fundraising team helping with its Celebrate programme, whereby supporters mark a birthday, anniversary or other special event by making a donation.
He comes into the office twice a week to help with admin. At busier times, he gets involved with other events like the property lunch and the annual dinner.
“Now I have time on my hands, I can give something back to the community,” he says.
“But in addition, it is a fun and enjoyable environment to be working in.”
Elaine Kerr, the charity’s chief executive, says: “Our retired volunteers play a hugely important role at Norwood and are a significant and valued part of our volunteer workforce.
“From working in our charity shops, befriending adults with learning disabilities and office administration to helping at our groups for families and children, we are enormously grateful for their contribution.”
David Green, 85, was a Jack of all trades — kosher butcher, black cabbie and market trader among them. He is a natural people person, which has proved invaluable in the volunteering he does, for in addition to helping with collections and deliveries for Redbridge United Synagogue Mr Green also regularly delivers meals on wheels for Jewish Care and has set up a monthly men’s group, Chaps That Chat, at the charity’s Sinclair House centre.
He has won an award as part of the meals on wheels team. “I didn’t want to retire but I got kicked out of my job about 10 years ago,” he says. “Then I got cancer but I overcame it. And when I did I decided to do something more important.” Chaps That Chat meets for discussions and socialising and Mr Green has also organised three successful outings.
“The most important thing to me is how close the men have got as friends. They love it.”
Having spent part of her professional life as a social work assistant, Pat Cravitz, 77, was well placed to establish and run Bournemouth Jewish Social Services.
She does this in a voluntary capacity, alongside co-founder Josie Lipsith, helping members of the ageing community with everything from home visits to applying for disability benefits. The service is “just growing and growing and growing”, Mrs Cravitz says. “We have around 80 new calls every year. There were 10 to deal with over the Christmas holidays alone.” Mrs Cravitz devotes around 20 hours every week to the role, leaving “no time to be bored”.
A typical case would be of “a lady whose husband is becoming increasingly ill and she then becomes ill herself and has to go into hospital. “So she wants to find out in advance how she can find some respite care for her husband. “We give advice on issues like that and then often liaise with the local authorities, too.”
The BJSS pair have office space at the Bournemouth Hebrew Congregation premises but also work from their homes. “My husband is very tolerant — I’ve roped him in as a volunteer, too,” Mrs Cravitz adds laughing.
