Interviewer

First of all. Could I ask you your name?

 

Beryl Carr.

Interviewer

And could I ask you which friends group we are talking about today?

 

Beryl Carr

At the Ealing Hospital, League of Friends

 

Interviewer

Thank you. And could I ask how old you are?

 

Beryl Carr

100 years old.

 

Interviewer

And you’ve had your birthday recently, I understand?

 

Beryl Carr

Yes. January.

 

Interviewer

And I guess there’s been quite a lot of fuss about your birthday. Is that fair?

 

Beryl Carr

Yes.

 

Interviewer

Were you expecting that?

 

Beryl Carr

No, it was a complete surprise when I came in. All the cafe was balloons, and there was big birthday cards. I don’t know how many hundred people had signed the card and that. And then I had a family do, we hired a hall, my daughter, we had 45 people.

 

Interviewer

And do I gather you also made it to Number 10?

Beryl Carr

Yes, I’ve been to Number 10.

 

Interviewer

So what was the Number 10 thing all about then?

 

Beryl Carr

Oh, “Something of light”?

 

Interviewer

So it it’s a scheme where Number 10 recognise people who’ve contributed?

 

Beryl Carr

Yes, apparently it’s been going on for years. And so it was very nice. It said on the invitation, it said it would be a buffet lunch outside, wear appropriate warm clothing, but it wasn’t. It was inside  because we were in this huge room with chandeliers and…

 

Interviewer

Where they, where they’ve probably entertained Heads of State and all sort, possibly?

 

Beryl Carr

Well yes. They put on the gloves, there were people waiting on us. And then we had the cake that won the award, I don’t know for one television programe. There was that cake there. And then we were all given a, a celebration mug.

 

Interviewer

How nice.

Beryl Carr

Yes. Yes. And then I went to the garden party back in the Palace.

 

Interviewer

As well?

 

Beryl Carr

And that was before.

 

Interviewer

Oh, okay.

 

Beryl Carr

The yes it’s nice. Yes. Went there. Grenadier Guards band was playing as we walked in. Lovely tea, and there was people walking around with ice creams. You could have had as many ice creams as we walked around by the lake, and then Kate and William came out, Sophie and Edward. They were there. Yes. That was a lovely afternoon.

 

Interviewer

So was that around the Jubilee?

 

Beryl Carr

Yes, just around the Jubilee. I can’t remember. It was the, the day after Jubilee, where they celebrated on the Sunday, and we went on the Monday.

 

Interviewer

Very nice.

 

Beryl Carr

Yes.

Interviewer

So we are talking a bit about your volunteering. So what got you into volunteering here then?

 

Beryl Carr

Well, I lived in Ealing with my husband, and then we’d retired up to Cambridge there. We were up there 30 years, and then unfortunately, oh, I had a hip operation and while my husband was visiting me in hospital, he caught a bug and within six weeks, he died. And I was still on crutches with this. And I’ve only got one daughter, that lives in Ealing. So eventually she said, you can’t stay up here. We were in the middle of the Fens, out in the country. It was beautiful, but there was no transport, but we had bus once we called it “Wells Fargo”. So I had no alternative, but to move back to Ealing, my daughter found me this retirement flat, close to her. And then, from going through a three-bedroom bungalow out in the middle of the country, to this one bedroom. Whoa, thought, my life had ended! And then she said to me, one day, “why don’t you do some volunteering, and get you out?” I said, “I don’t know where to go. What to do.”, I was in a, a muddle really just…

 

Interviewer

How old were you at this point?

 

Beryl Carr

Oh, well that was 2003. Yes. I was in my eighties then. Yes. 80 about age two or something.

 

Interviewer

Yes, absolutely.

 

Beryl Carr

So she said, “will you go, if I make enquiries?” And I said, “yes.” And she made enquiries and I came to for an interview, and then I’ve been there ever since. I started on the Monday. And I’ve been there ever since.

 

Interviewer

So how, so here you are at 80, launching into a volunteering experience in the hospital. Had you volunteered at other times in your life?

 

Beryl Carr

Never, I’d always led a busy life. You know, my, when my husband would rather, we used to go abroad and cruise, and we this good social life in Cambridge here. So, and then, to come down to nothing, was a real blow, plus the fact I was still on crutches, with this hip replacement.

 

Interviewer

So there you are at 80 odd, starting to volunteer?

 

Beryl Carr

Yes. Living a new life. I didn’t know anybody, anything. And I thought nobody’s going to come knocking on my door because nobody knows me. So it’s either sink or swim. And I said, “yes, I’ll go for it.”, When my daughter did this.

Interviewer

So with best part of 20 years ago and you start volunteering and what did they get you to do? 20 years ago?

 

Beryl Carr

Oh, I was making tea, and labeling up sandwiches, and making sandwiches. And then we didn’t have a till then, it was just a box thing. We were only in the little shed down the front there. So then I started doing the money, and I’ve been a cashier ever since.

 

Interviewer

So do you work these new fancy tills?

 

Beryl Carr

No, actually they were installed when I was on, the pandemic was on, and I didn’t come in then. So I’ve not got the hang of it. And I said, I’m too old to learn new tricks. So I said,” no, I won’t.” They thought I would go on the till. I said,” no, I’m not going in the new till.”

 

Interviewer

Well, I mean, I’ve been here a little while. I’ve just had my lunch, a very nice and very reasonably-priced lunch, I have to say. And I’ve been watching, and you feel a bit like the mascot. It’s like everybody comes in, they want to talk to you?

 

Beryl Carr

That’s it, yes.

 

Interviewer

Yes. I’ve seen a few cheeky hugs as well!

 

Beryl Carr

Yes, everybody knows me.

 

Interviewer

And, and it feels like a really social place. Yes?

 

Beryl Carr

Everybody’s friendly. So it’s a pleasure to come in.

 

Interviewer

So you started 20 years ago from that point where you didn’t even think anybody would knock on your door? No, because they didn’t know you.

 

Beryl Carr

Nobody knew me.

 

Interviewer

And now?

 

Beryl Carr

Everybody knows me!

Interviewer

Absolutely. So would you say that this is more than just volunteering that you’ve created proper friendships through this?

 

Beryl Carr

Yes. Yes. Because we used I got friendly with some of the ladies, and on a Saturday we’d four of us would go up town, or we’d go to Kew Gardens, or somewhere. Yes, became quite a social gathering really.

 

Interviewer

And I’ve noticed as well. You’ve got some, you have got some younger volunteers, I mean, younger than older. But, but you’ve…but equally some in their twenties, and that sort of thing. And do you think that you get to know those younger people as well as part of your volunteering? Or does that not happen so much?

 

Beryl Carr

Well, yes. I wouldn’t socialise. Well, I wouldn’t know anywhere. I can’t get about somewhere. Okay. But yes, we’re just friendly. Everybody’s friendly. With ages, no barrier.

 

Interviewer

Lovely. So if there was somebody who was listening to this recording and they thought, oh, but Friends are something that used to happen years ago and Friends aren’t relevant today. Have you got anything that you’d say to them to say, come on, come and volunteer?

 

Beryl Carr

You need friends. Every person, no man’s an island. Everybody needs somebody. And that is a good way to keep in contact with people.

 

Interviewer

Excellent.

 

Beryl Carr

So, and you are doing a service for people, you know, it is a worthwhile way of life.

 

Interviewer

So have you had, had any particular encounters with patients or their families that have stuck with you over the years?

 

Interviewer

Well, people are responding to you and to your smile and your kindness aren’t they?

 

Beryl Carr

I don’t know.

 

Interviewer

I think they are. Now, I mean, I know you only sort of recently discovered, today probably,that you were going to talk to me. Is there anything that you wanted to tell me that you haven’t had the chance to say yet?

 

Beryl Carr

No, I don’t think so.

 

Interviewer

Lovely.

 

 

Beryl Carr

As I was saying, I’m never very interesting.

 

Interviewer

No, you are interesting.

 

Beryl Carr

<Laugh>

 

Interviewer

So that’s been lovely. Thank you ever so much. And thank you for your time today.