Sarah
I started volunteering during the lockdown.
We started as virtual friends, so we didn't actually meet face to face, probably for about 9 months. And it was very exciting when we finally got to meet.
We've got sort of a regular coffee shop. Betty loves a chai, so we go and get a chai. So that was our first date, face to face.
I think we were both surprised at how easily we find things to talk about and how easily we get along.
Look who it is! Gave you a surprise. You look gorgeous.
Oh, you want to say hi to Betty?
Betty
Oh, come on.
Gday. You can hop up on my leg if you like.
Sarah
Perfect timing.
Betty has a lot of good stories. So I enjoy hearing about travel stories and, you know, fun things that you've gotten up to over the years. So we always find things to talk about.
Betty
Oh well, you know, I’m pretty old now.
Sarah
You’ve had lots of fun times, though, that I love hearing about.
Betty
I have had. I’ve had some jolly fun times.
Sarah
A favourite experience with Betty probably was Christmas.
I asked her what she sort of missed the most, and the key answer obviously was family, but also prawns. So, I bought a whole bunch of prawns and a breadstick and some seafood sauce and then played some Christmas carols and we sat and had prawns and bread and exchanged presents.
That was really special – to have a little mini Christmas together.
Betty
We have done some funny things, haven’t we?
We do our birthdays. Our birthdays are very close.
Sarah
April babies.
Betty
April babies we are. So that …
Sarah
It's a busy month.
Betty
… offers us a chance to have a party.
Sarah
Yeah.
Betty
We have little parties. We’ve had lunch down at the beach, you know, on the clifftop.
Sarah
Prawns.
Betty
Oh, prawns. I'll always remember prawns.
Sarah
It's definitely brought me a new friend and I have learnt a lot.
If anybody thinks of volunteering like a chore, it's not that at all.
It's something that I look forward to every week.
Like, I probably wouldn't even call it volunteering. It's sort of visiting a friend.
If you're thinking about becoming a volunteer, 100% do it. It's incredibly rewarding
and I think very important, so definitely do it.
Interviewer
How does it make you feel when Sarah comes?
Betty
Oh, very happy. She's made a big difference to my life.
Really has.