My name is Veronica Kennard, and I'm going to tell you a little bit about my history of volunteering. Whilst I was still working, I became involved in volunteering with a school of mostly Bengali children. I found it particularly good for me to volunteer outside my Jewish bubble, and it gave me a different perspective on life.

When Covid came around, the vaccination program started, and I volunteered to go twice a week to clean the chairs and perform other reception duties. It was a great experience being part of a team at the Royal Free Charity, so I later put myself forward as a volunteer in the bereavement office team. People would say to me, “How could you do that? Isn't that terribly sad and difficult sometimes?” It was sad, but it was also really helping people. Nowadays, I'm working within an oncology-psychology team which helps patients undergoing cancer treatment.

"Volunteering has been one of the most important things in my life. I come from a family of people who also did volunteering, but more probably within the Jewish community. I like to mix it up; it opens one's world, and that's why I love it. "