Transcript

(To me what matters is) sacrifice, helping others and being able to have consideration for other people, courtesy - all those things and conventions make it possible for us to work in a community, a society, a nation and the international global world. If we didn't have those guidelines unfortunately what we would have is anarchy. So we start small from where we are, local, our community, our family unit. We try to strengthen those things.

On Boxing Day I went to Crisis to help out.to let me see how I can work in a wider community for people who are on the margins. Homelessness is a passion of mine. I wasn't sure what I would come against. We all have this image of what we feel homeless people are and to have about 300 in one roof you know was a bit difficult for me to process but then when I went in there and I could see how Crisis organised these things, how they had given dignity back to people who didn't have anything. I felt Wow! so humble. They were asking the volunteers ‘we need somebody to clean the floor’. I felt that would focus my mind, yes. Then they said ‘we need somebody who would stand by the door for ‘our guests’ as they come in for their meals. I volunteered and was able to guide our guests in. Then we were asked ‘we need people to serve the food,’ I put my hands up and I served food. Then we were asked: ‘we need people to chat with our guests. now that would make it closer, I thought, yes, I'll try that out.

Through all that it was love for my fellow human beings that made me volunteer to say I want to do this, and with all humility. There was no patronizing somebody or judging anybody. Who am I to judge somebody. I went in there. I started talking to young ones, to older ones, talking with people and sometimes I had information I was able to give them. Somebody wanted to start up a hairdressing business. I was able to give information and practical help; somebody needed legal advice on how to set up a business and I was able to be in a position to do that, so I offered.