Interviewer

Good afternoon. Could I ask your name please?

 

Gifty Coleman

Good afternoon. I’m Gifty Coleman.

 

Interviewer

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

 

Gifty Coleman

We’re talking about the Ealing Hospital League of Friends.

 

Interviewer

Thank you. And could I ask your age?

 

Gifty Coleman

I am 68. I’ll be 69 in three weeks.

 

Interviewer

So nearly your birthday. Yes, excellent. So what first got you involved with the, the Friends of Ealing?

 

Gifty Coleman

About 12 years ago, I was made redundant from my job as a management accountant, and I decided I’d had enough of the commuting to London, and all that. I wanted a local job. So I’d applied to Ealing Council. I’d even attended an interview for another accounting position, and they kept me waiting for a long time. But I had, I had prayed about it. I am a Christian, I prayed about it, and I was convinced God was giving me a job in Ealing, but I thought this was going to be Ealing Council. However, after a few months they came back to say, “Sorry, the post that’s now being filled.” So I was a bit disappointed, but I had my own small business as well, making chili sauce. So I thought that’s the way I want to go. If I, can’t get a local job, just as I was getting geared up to do that.

 

Gifty Coleman

Somebody told me about an opening at ‘something’, they called it the Friends Cafe in Ealing hospital and they said, “oh, I know you have your own food business, but they’re looking for an assistant manager at this cafe. So I thought you’d be interested.” And I thought, “not really”, but somehow they managed to persuade me to apply for the job, not knowing anything about the League of Friends at all. I put in this application, I was invited for an interview, which I attended, met a panel of very nice ladies. And the more I found, I hadn’t done any homework, about the position. I came in, they told me about the job, you know, and what they did, what they stood for. And I thought, “no, what? This, this appeals to the, my giving nature”, as my name suggests, I’m a very giving person. And “yes, I, it, it would fit in because it was only a part-time job, and it would fit in with my food business as well. So I’d like to give it a go.” So that’s how I joined the League of Friends here.

 

Interviewer

And how have those 12 years been?

 

Gifty Coleman

They’ve passed very quickly. You know, I always have to stop and think about how long I’ve actually been here, but you know, it’s gone very quickly, and it’s been one of the most enjoyable jobs I’ve ever had.

 

Interviewer

What makes it enjoyable for you?

 

Gifty Coleman

I just love serving people for a start, and you know, you can see the difference it makes to people. I enjoy it, but I can see how much pleasure my customers at the café also get out of the service we provide. I keep telling the volunteers here that nobody comes to the hospital on a jolly. They’re either here because they’re ill, or they have somebody in here who’s ill, and so they’re all maybe apprehensive, or they’ve just got bad news, or maybe they’ve just been given the all clear. So everybody’s here on health issues. And you know, if, if you can make a difference to them, by cheering them up, offering them a smile (that was before the days of the mask), you know, they come and a lot of people come back, and tell me how much they appreciate my smile. I mean, it doesn’t cost me anything, you know, it’s just free to give to them and if it makes a difference to them, I’m all for it.

 

Interviewer

And do you find that you see people quite regularly, you get sort of regular customers or?

 

Gifty Coleman

Yes, that’s, that’s most of the staff who come to us, the hospital staff. We have regulars amongst them, and they keep coming back, and you can see people just know, looking out for, to see if they can catch your eye, you know? Because they want to be served by you, and all that. So, you know, you are making a difference. Yes.

 

Interviewer

That’s lovely. Yes, that’s lovely. So do you have any favorite memories of working here?

 

Gifty Coleman

Every day comes with its own special gifts, you know, pleasures. One day, which particularly I have two stories, both related to the COVID period. One day when I had come in to, I can’t remember what I, I come in to do, oh, I’d done some shopping for the cafe. And I came to drop it off, after hours, and I was going, and a gentleman approached me. I don’t know if he had been a customer at the café, or what, but he asked me to give him a lift home. And I said,”I’m sorry, I can’t, but I can help you with the, you know, taxi fare or something.” So I found a cab for him, and he was profuse in his appreciation, and gratitude. And that, you know, when for this was in the height of COVID and you know, that gave me extreme pleasure. I’ve been able to help this gentleman, even though I didn’t expose myself to any risk, you know, I was still able to help at that time.

 

Gifty Coleman

I was also, during COVID, when sometimes when we’ve closed, the shutter comes down, you find somebody rattling, the you know, shutter, And this lady came in, she wanted a cup of tea, or something. I can’t even remember the detail of her need, but apparently I served her. Next morning, I was doing the early shift. She comes, rattling the shutters again. I didn’t recognise her from the previous day, but she said she wanted the black lady who works here. I said, well, there are few, but I know how can I help? And she said, “oh, I think it’s actually you. I want to see.” And she had something wrapped, and she said, “this is for you.” “What is it?” She said, “I want you to have this because of your kindness. You were so kind to me yesterday.” She hadn’t eaten all day and she came, nobody would serve her. All in a days work, and if I can, why not? But, and then when I, when she left and I opened it, it was a lovely scarf, head scarf. And she’d noticed that I wore a head scarf at the time. I used to know, wear my hair out since COVID if you know, I think it’s all vanity. So she brought me this beautiful scarf and she said, I want you to remember how kind you were to me yesterday. Really appreciate it. Aww and that’s, you know…

Interviewer

That’s a lovely story. So do you think, and, and real tribute to your kindness and care, I have to say. Do you think that COVID has changed the way that the coffee shop cafe operates?

 

Gifty Coleman

Yes, it did. In a big way, especially when we first returned. You know, we went from working from six o’clock, we’d come in at six to prepare stuff to open at eight-thirty to the public, and then we’d finish at five-thirty, and no, we’d finish at five and close at, you know, six or something like that. But we went from those sort of hours to, when we came back, we were doing from ten, till two, and people, everybody, was kind of scared and, you know, standoffish, and all that. But I’m glad to say we are gradually getting back to where we used to be. It’s still a bit, no, especially for the new people who have joined, they don’t, they don’t know how we used to be. And those who were there before, a few of them are still haven’t come back. You know, they’re still staying away, but there’s a few who who’s attitudes are more, they’re more cautious. I think, you know, I would easily give people hugs and all that, but now I’m not so forthcoming with my…

 

Interviewer

Well, you’re never quite sure how comfortable people are with…

 

Gifty Coleman

Exactly. Exactly. So, you know…

 

Interviewer

Yes. So things, so things have changed?

Gifty Coleman

Yes. Things have definitely changed.

 

Interviewer

But would you say you still see a real need for the Friends Group?

 

Gifty Coleman

Absolutely. Yes.

 

Interviewer

And why do you think the friends group is different from some of the other retail outlets that might be in the hospital?

 

Gifty Coleman

Well, you try, you know, knocking on Costa’s door after they’ve closed? Need I say anymore?

 

Interviewer

Okay.

 

Gifty Coleman

People come to us in the past when we were working those long hours. There are times when, even after closing at five o’clock, I, I would happily stay in, if the few times when I saw older people who clearly were very lonely, and hadn’t eaten well, needed feeding, I would take them through different options, until we find something they can have, and enjoy, and sit with them till they finish eating. And then, and, and I often know, just hang on for, to wait for people.

 

Interviewer

That’s lovely to hear.

 

Gifty Coleman

Yes. It’s, it’s something the community needs. Another thing when you have somebody phone you, and ask and place, place an order, and they tell you, they are sending a mini cab to come from southall to pick up their order. Because they’re sitting in their house, and they are craving the cheese and salad roll they had from the café, and they’re craving this, and they want that. You know, it’s important that we continue that.

 

Interviewer

They’re just lovely thoughts. I have to say. I wish I had somewhere I could send for a cheese and salad roll <laugh>. So if a friend, or someone you knew, a neighbour, said they were thinking of getting into volunteering, what would you say to encourage them to think about volunteering with the Friends Group?

 

Gifty Coleman

It’s very rewarding. I remember when I first started here and I thought maybe, you know, just give it a go, I was getting calls from agencies, offering me decent salaries, and I still manage to turn them all down. That’s how rewarding this is, you know, it gives you a special, a different kind of pleasure. And I haven’t found that sort of satisfaction doing any other work. You know,

 

Interviewer

I have, I have to say there is something special about the gift of volunteering yes. And volunteering alongside people with health issues.

 

Gifty Coleman

Yes. Yes. And you know, you are also helping some of the volunteers have got their own issues. Mm-Hmm <affirmative> and when you help them get back on their feet, and when people come back, you know, keep coming back because they are enjoying volunteering, because of how they see us working. Then now it gives, it gives a great deal of pleasure.

 

Interviewer

That’s great. Thank you ever so much. Now, when you were thinking about the fact that you were going to be coming to talk to us, did you have anything you wanted to say that you haven’t had the chance to say it?

 

Gifty Coleman

Mm, nothing. In particular I found out from the others, you know, you hadn’t, you’d been told about these things. This is our discharge package to help people, who’ve just been discharged from hospital. If they haven’t got, you know, little bits and bobs. If they’ve been away from home for a long time, for example, this might be something they might not immediately have on the that’s. Lovely. Yes.

 

Interviewer

Thank you.

 

Gifty Coleman

And this is Beryl, our oldest volunteer who I think you’re going to?

 

Interviewer

We’re gonna come back to speak to Beryl, I gather, as I can see here, she’s just had her hundredth birthday. Yes. Fantastic. Well, can I say, it’s been lovely to talk to you and thank you ever so much.

 

Gifty Coleman

It’s been a pleasure too.