Kate Hamilton
Appearances
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
My name's Kate Hamilton and I work with Reigate Samaritans.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
16 years and as part of that we support High Down Prison as a branch and we train gentlemen in prison to become listeners to support their peers. We're training people... to actually respond immediately within the prison. We don't listen to the people. We just train the guys in there to be listeners.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
And the skills that we give them, hopefully, will help them throughout their life in many different ways. So in the future, they will use those skills, hopefully, when they're out and back to work or whatever they're doing.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
It was something I'd been interested in for a long time. And I think I'm fortunate in that I've got many people I can talk to, but not everyone has. And I think a listening ear is a very important thing in life. And particularly with COVID, you can imagine at that time we had many, many calls from people who were isolated at home. I'm very frightened.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
You help someone. As much as you put in as a volunteer, you get back in so many different ways. And it's a lovely feeling if you feel that you've helped someone, perhaps either from the brink of suicide or a general despair. They need someone to talk to.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
Generally, yes. I mean, you never ever know what happens, but... Just giving someone a chance to talk and actually come to their own conclusions as to what would be best for them. We don't give advice, we just enable people to work out what's best for themselves.
The Planet Reigate Podcast
45: Awards for 700+ years of local volunteering… and more
It's been absolutely amazing and I'm just awe-inspired by all the volunteers who've been here and the amazing things they do. So it's been a privilege to be here. Congratulations, thank you so much.