Cancer Research - First Day Back!

First day back at Cancer Research today, after a four-month break. It was great to see so many familiar faces and although the 'new normal' prevented us from working in exactly the same way we were used to, we did our best to carry on as best we could. It was good to know fiends and colleagues hadn't changed a bit, each with their own lockdown story to tell, but like me, everyone was pleased to be back, making money for Cancer Research UK!

All of us have different reasons for volunteering; for many spending time with others is important, especially if they live alone. Cancer Research promotes friendships and encourages volunteers to form bonds, that they wouldn't otherwise have had. COVID-19 put a stop to social interaction and many of my colleagues have spent the last sixteen weeks alone. Coming back to this little shop in Portsmouth, has once again given them the confidence to express themselves in the company of others, something sadly missing in all our lives until recently. Getting back to the way things were isn't going to be easy, but tiny tentative steps should help, as all of us begin the process of once again reconnecting with others!

I am thrilled to be back with some truly wonderful co-workers, who I have dearly missed. I am known for calling Cancer Research my 'Happy Place,' because that is exactly what it is. It boosts my sense of self-worth and gives me something to look forward to each week, able to chat with companions and make money for a cause I champion. It feels fantastic to be home - the first place I started working when I returned from Spain and a part of my life I will always hold dear!