Bristol Animal Rescue Centre cares for thousands of sick, injured and stray animals every year – and we couldn’t do this vital work without the help of our dedicated volunteers. Our volunteers come to us for many different reasons, but are united in their enthusiasm and commitment to great animal welfare. As part of Volunteer’s week this year, we’re showcasing our volunteers’ stories and what drives them to work with us.
Phil Hawkins, 57 from Brislington, has been volunteering with us since December 2021. Phil suffers from young onset Alzheimer’s.
He was diagnosed in October 2021 and was forced to retire from his job at a local recycling centre, as well as having to return his driving licence. His condition had been worsening over the last two years, and became most noticeable during lockdown.
His wife Nicky explained, “Phil has always been a cheerful, independent person and we noticed over quite a long period that his personality had started to change. He began to forget things and didn’t seem like himself. During lockdown, with the lack of routine, this worsened, before he was finally diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer’s. At first he became withdrawn and he was very down – after losing his job he felt a lack of purpose”.
Day to day life became more difficult for the family, as Phil was unable to complete some of the most basic tasks at home, and routine trips like visiting his son in Ireland became more difficult. “Travelling became trickier for Phil because his reaction times are slower now, it takes him a while to adjust to situations and people don’t understand his condition – he is still young, after all, and this is a hidden disability. People might wonder why he might appear to be dithering or taking longer to do things, for example,” added Nicky.
Giving back to the community
Phil had always loved animals and so Nicky decided to contact Bristol Animal Rescue Centre, to see if he might be able to volunteer, to give him something to do and a chance to give back to the local community. Since December he has been volunteering two days per week with the charity, doing routine tasks like laundry and cleaning, as well as cat socialisation. “We’ve all seen a massive change in him since he started there – he’s regained his confidence,” said Nicky. “This has given him more of a routine and a reason to get up in the morning. It also means he has a bit of independence from us and when he comes home, he has something new to talk to the family about”.
“We couldn’t be more grateful to the Bristol Animal Rescue Centre team for offering Phil this opportunity – it’s not always easy, and I know having a volunteer like him means certain adjustments need to be made, but they’ve revived a bit of the old Phil that we hadn’t seen in a long time, so we are very grateful,” said Nicky.
Young onset dementia
“There are support services out there for people with Alzheimer’s, but a lot of these are more geared towards older people, and Phil doesn’t see himself as an old man,” said Nicky.
Over 42,000 people in the UK are living with young onset dementia (which develops before the age of 65). Like all people with dementia, they may experience a wide range of symptoms, but they are likely to need different support than older people. “We’re delighted that Phil chose to volunteer with Bristol Animal Rescue Centre. We haven’t had a volunteer like Phil before and it’s a learning process for all of us, but he’s been a big help to the team and we’re pleased that we’ve been able to give him a bit of confidence back,” said Nancy Williams, Volunteer Co-ordinator at Bristol Animal Rescue Centre.
If you have any questions or would like to volunteer with us, get in touch with our Volunteer Coordinator Nancy – email volunteering@bristolarc.org.uk or visit the FAQ page on the Volunteers section of our website.
