Media

Inspired by the many stories of Freemasons volunteering their time with local charities, we’ve created a brand new video series called Helping Hands! Each episode follows a Freemason as they spend a day volunteering with a charity that has benefitted from an MCF grant, to find out more about their important work and highlight the impact of masonic funding on the wider community.

Our most recent episode sees Northamptonshire & Huntingdonshire Freemason, Bob, visit Daventry Area Community Transport (DACT). Bob volunteered for 15 years at DACT, and returned for the day on their dial-a-ride service, which aims to tackle loneliness and social isolation in the elderly community. Our Marketing Executive went along for the ride too, and shares their experience…

5:00am

My alarm goes off and I’m careful not to hit the snooze button; it’s a long way from Kent to Northamptonshire! I grab a cup of tea from a café then catch a train to London.

7:00am

I arrive at London Euston and have about half an hour until my train to Daventry. It’s going to be a long day so I treat myself to some eggs on toast, board the next train and fall back asleep for the journey.

8:30am

Our videographer, Gary, is there to meet me when I arrive; “Why do you book shoots so early?!” he says with a laugh.

We hop in his van and make the short drive to DACT’s head office. DACT were awarded £15,000 by Northamptonshire & Huntingdonshire Freemasons in last year’s MCF Community Awards and the money went towards a new bus for their dial-a-ride service – it’s exciting to see the new bus sat in the car park, ready for a day of volunteering!

We’re a little early so we grab another cup of tea and run through the video brief to make sure we’re fully prepared.

9:00am

We head back to DACT where we find Bob, our volunteer for the day, and introduce ourselves. Bob’s been a Freemason for 16 years and used to be a volunteer driver for DACT before he retired. He’s got his old uniform on and is sat having a cup of tea and a chat with Ron, the bus driver; it’s like he’s never left.

9:30am

Off we go! First stop of the day is 90-year-old Jean, who has used the dial-a-ride-service for the last five years. Immediately, she recognizes Bob and quips;

“What are you doing here?!” Bob gives her a friendly laugh and a hug, scoops up her shopper trolley and secures it in the back of the bus, then holds her hand whilst she navigates the steps. Jean sees me sat near the back of the bus and flashes me a big smile; “Oh, hello… You’re a little young for this aren’t you?”

I start to realise that Jean is the joker of the bus, and will later have many of the passengers in fits of laughter, including myself. I sit next to Jean and explain that we are spending a day filming on the bus to highlight the great work that DACT does.

I think Jean has hit the nail on the head. It’s such a simple service on paper, picking people up and taking them home again. Ron says that some people ask why they don’t just get a taxi – but the dial-a-ride service provides so much more than transport. It provides opportunities for people to socialise, feel included in their community, leave the four walls of their home, and maintain some independence at a time in their lives when it can start to disappear; a sentiment that is echoed by all the passengers throughout the day.

“Next stop!” calls Ron, and we are off again.

10:00am

We’ve finished the first of three drop offs and are on our way back to begin the next passenger pick up. Ron lets slip that after 11 years of volunteering, today is his last shift at DACT. “I think I’ve only told one passenger as I don’t want people to make a fuss,” he says. Famous last words!

10:20am

Ruby is the last passenger to be collected before the bus makes its way into town. Just as Ron is about to set off, Ruby stands up and makes an announcement; “Ron, a little birdie told me it’s your last day on the bus!” Ron starts to smile. “To say thank you, we’ve done a little collection for you and Eileen’s baked a lemon drizzle cake.” Ron simply replies, “I did say I didn’t want a fuss but who can say no to cake!”

I’m even more pleased when I see a slice heading in my direction.

11:30am

After a short break, we are back on the bus ready to pick the passengers up from their shopping trip and take them home again. In the distance, we see a long queue of ladies waiting patiently with their shopping bags, flowers, groceries and walkers, chatting away and putting the world to rights.

Bob comments that he remembers how fit he used to feel, having to quickly jump on and off the bus and lift everyone’s bags into the back – “I reckon I could still do this,” he says and I ask if he would ever return. “If I could I would in a heartbeat, but my wife is ill so I’m her full-time carer.”

I’m so pleased that we could give him one day back at DACT for old times’ sake.

1:00pm

The final passenger has waived goodbye and we’re back in the offices. “That was brilliant,” beams Bob. We manage to have a sit down with Rob, DACT’s chief executive, who talks us through the impact of the Masonic Charitable Foundation’s funding on the charity. “The Community Awards was a brilliant initiative which we were so pleased to have been a part of. The £15,000 secured the future of the dial-a-ride service, and we are reminded weekly about how much it’s needed by the number of people that book on the service. We’re just so grateful.”

1:30pm

We say our goodbyes to Ron and the rest of the DACT team, then head off to catch the train back to London.

Before we leave, Bob reflects on his day as a volunteer; “After all these years, it’s so good to see that DACT is still doing its bit to support the community. As a Freemason, I’m so proud that we’ve been able to play a part in tackling loneliness and social isolation. It really is a fantastic thing to be a part of.”

Watch Bob’s day out with DACT in our video series, Helping Hands