Interviewer

All right. Thank you so much for sitting down with me. Could you start off by telling us your name and your age?

 

Jenny Chandler

Jen Chandler. 45.

 

Interviewer

Perfect. And what friends group will we be discussing today?

 

Jenny Chandler

That’s FAABI. That stands for Friends of Attend Acquired Brain Injury.

 

Interviewer

Alright. And could you talk a little bit about what first inspired you to join FAABI? So why’d you join, and kind of how it has helped you over time?

 

Jenny Chandler

Well, with a head injury you are you, but you’re not you. So I wanted to enjoy my life and life is so fast paced. But my mobility being hard, It’s hard to join in with the normal run of life. FAABI offers people with head injuries the space to have a normal life and learn and to socialise.

 

Interviewer 

And for you, what was valuable about surrounding yourself with other people that had suffered from brain injuries?

 

Jenny Chandler

Well, when you come out of hospital and you get discharged, you go home and then you think, “I’m going to get my life back.” But that’s not the case. You are very isolated. Everyone has moved on with their lives and then you feel like you’re the only one that’s going through this experience. And when I came to FAABI, hearing other members talk showed I’m not alone and there are other people experiencing similar to me.

Interviewer

Yes, that’s beautiful. So you were asked to be a trustee two years after you joined FAABI as a participant, right?

 

Jenny Chandler

Approximately, yes. And I was really thrilled because, knowing how much FAABI brought to me and improved my lifestyle and health, it was really important to be given the opportunity to give back. Every year we have new faces. I feel confident that the organisation is helping these people as it has helped me.

 

Interviewer

So your experience as a participant – that helped you when you became a trustee and a volunteer?

 

Jenny Chandler

Yeah, it was important. It felt important to me to be able to give back.

Interviewer 

That’s amazing. Do you have an example of just any memory or story you have with FAABI that sticks out to you?

 

Jenny Chandler

I have been with FAABI a long time and there have been so many events that I hold in my heart with fond memories for all the events and to express my feeling for the whole organisation; It’s like a warm hand being held out to help and I grabbed onto the hand.

 

Interviewer

And so you participated in the Tai Chi, right?

 

Jenny Chandler

Tai Chi, ukulele, Law for Life. With the head injury, these events just go by and you would never have the chance to become a participant in them. And now I can say I am a pretty good Ukulele player! <Laugh> In times of stress, I can do Tai Chi to chill out. And Law for Life – it’s always good to know your consumer rights and it just helps with making me a confident person.

 

Interviewer 

So, as sort of a FAABI veteran and someone who has participated in all these things, how have you seen the group change over time?

 

Jenny Chandler

Well, FAABI’s become bigger. We have a lot more events. They take part in all events but obviously people have their preferences, so if they have the choice of activities, they can attend. And I feel that when new people come, they’ve heard about us from the hospital. So, I feel we are reaching out and connecting with the right circles.

Interviewer 

How did you first hear about FAABI after your brain injury?

 

Jenny Chandler

I was a member of Rehab UK and that organisation closed and I was in part-time work, but Rehab UK, if I had any questions about employment, I could go back to them. So when they closed, they gave me Attend’s address and communication number and then through Attend, FAABI came about.

Interviewer 

What would you say to people that are looking to get into volunteering or are very new in their volunteering journey?

 

Jenny Chandler

Oh, it helps. It can help people so much because if you’re in a dark place you have to want to get out. And when the people give their time to help it’s really quite touching. Yeah. It’s important and it’s made me realise that charities are needed.

 

Interviewer

Just while you have the floor, is there anything else you would like to say about your time at FAABI, or just anything you would like to leave with?

 

Jenny Chandler

Oh yeah, just FAABI has made my life. I couldn’t imagine not having FAABI in my life – I would be in a different – very different – place. But now, I feel like a positive person and I feel I’m helping to make head-injured lives more understood and better.

 

Interviewer

Thank you for doing that. And thank you for agreeing to interview.

 

Jenny Chandler

And I thank you, Jonny.