Media

Having joined the MCF in 2020 during the pandemic, Sonal Patel has been kept busy as an Enquiries Officer. Handling dozens of calls every day, Sonal is often the first point of contact for many people who are looking to us for help. No day is the same in such a dynamic role, but Sonal has found the best work routine to handle whatever the day may bring.

For Sonal, knowing that she has made a difference to people’s lives, whether that’s directing them to apply for support or simply being a listening ear, is what motivates her from day to day!

We asked Sonal to tell us about her routine and what working in the Advice, Support and Enquiries team means to her.

My alarm goes off at…

6.50am if I am going into the office, or 7.50am if I am working from home. If I wake up before my alarm goes off, I simply get out of bed, ready to start my day.

I start my day by…

Having breakfast, preparing lunch, and then leaving my house to walk to the tube station to get my train. Sometimes there are delays with public transport, so I always check whilst getting ready. If I am working from home, I get up, have breakfast, and do some household chores before diving into my tasks.

How I spend my days…

The majority of my day is spent on calls that come through to the MCF enquiry line, keeping me busy. Each day, our team handles different responsibilities, which may involve emailing or being on calls throughout the day. On the phone you never know what the call is going to be about, so you are having to think on your feet all the time. On occasion, I prefer communicating through emails as it gives me time to reflect and provide a more thorough response.

In recent months, I have been assisting in supervising the work of one of our new team members. The variety in my daily tasks, with each call being unique, is what makes the job truly interesting and rewarding.

My most memorable moment was…

There are quite a few cases I could choose from. I do recall speaking to a Freemason’s widow who was struggling to pay her bills and look after her children. Her husband died suddenly at work, and this was a very distressing time for her. Taking care of her two disabled children made it harder for her to work, which, in turn, made it more difficult to manage her bills.

She had no idea that she could seek assistance from the MCF. When she called us, she broke down in tears when I explained to her how much we could help her with. She was so grateful for our support and just for someone to listen to what she was going through. I also told her about our mental health support, which she wanted to access as she felt she had not dealt with her grief.

The hardest part of my role is…

It’s always tough having to tell people that they are not eligible for our support, and it makes me feel for their situation. For instance, if they haven’t experienced a drop in income and therefore fall just outside our criteria, I do my best to find alternative ways to assist them. I also make an effort to tell them about other organisations that may be able to provide the help they need.

The best part of my role is…

Being able to help and support people with whatever they are dealing with. Sometimes, even though we may be unable to provide them with a monetary grant, I feel that I am there to listen to them. For some isolated and lonely individuals, this makes a huge difference, and they really appreciate having someone to talk to.

When I am not working…

I enjoy cooking and love creating new dishes at home for my family. I have also started practicing pilates and yoga at home. I also love doing mindfulness colouring and have already completed two books. I am slowly making my way through my third; it’s a very calming activity after a busy day of calls.

Visit mcf.org.uk/ASET-BL13 to find out more.