Prisoners Week Scotland 2022 - a volunteer perspective

Lilian, a volunteer at Perth Visitor Support and Advice Centre, shares her experience of why she gives her time to the service.

"As a volunteer at the Visitors Support and Advice Centre at Perth, I feel very privileged to be part of the team.

Before I retired, I worked with all different ages of patients and their families, so it helped me communicate with people and it helps in my role as a volunteer. Everyone is so grateful.

When I hand out a present to a child their little faces light up and are so happy that they now want to chat away and you know you have made someone very happy.

I feel when families want to talk to me it helps them to relax before their visit and puts them at ease. Also, when a service user turns as they are going out the door and says thank you very much for your help, if I had known about the Centre, I would have been in ages ago.

I take home so much joy from the Centre knowing I have helped someone when I am there."