Interviewer

So could I ask you your name?

Joan Key

Joan Key.

Interviewer

And could I ask how old you are, Joan?

Joan Key

98.

Interviewer

And could I ask what group we’re talking about today?

Joan Key

The League of Friends

Interviewer

Thank you. Could I ask what first got you involved in volunteering?

Joan Key

Well, the fact of the matter was my husband was under the hospital. I kept going up, of course, with him. We used to go up together. I sort of looked around, and then at that time I was retiring, and I thought, “oh, what am I going to do all day?” You know, only so much housework you want to do. And we used to go out a lot in the car, but there were always spare days, especially in the winter. So I thought to myself, I wonder if they want anybody at the hospital? And I enquired and they said, well they didn’t at that particular time, but I could ask again. But she said, “why don’t you try the shop? They might need somebody.” So I saw the manageress at the shop. She said, “well, yes, I’d be glad to have you. Could you come on a Friday?” I said, “yes I can.” And that was it.

Interviewer

So this is about what, 40 years ago?

Joan Key

No, 26 years ago.

Interviewer

26 years ago.

Joan Key

Yes. Well, yes. because I retired at 60.But it looks like 40, doesn’t it. I’ve got certificate where I’ve served 20 odd years, and I thought it was 26, but perhaps it was longer. I can’t remember what particular year I started in. Probably if I went through loads of papers. I might find it. I can’t remember the time.

Interviewer

So you started volunteering the shop? Yes. So what was the shop like all those years ago?

Joan Key

Oh, I think it was well provided for. The manageress was on the ball. She came in most days. Not all the time, but she used to pop in to see everything was going alright with the two assistants, because that was myself and somebody else working. So I think, you know, she’d pop in and if things weren’t quite as she wanted, she’d put them right. I found it quite a good way of spending my time really. And meeting people. It was nice to meet people. Even now when I go to the hospital, there’s always somebody that remembers me from the shop.

Interviewer

Oh really?

Joan Key

Yes, I go now and they say, “Oh yes, you used to work in the shop, didn’t you?” Yes. <laugh>.

Interviewer

And, and what sort of thing did the shop sell?

Joan Key

Oh, nearly everything you could think of birthday cards, well, I nearly said ladies… ladies things. But I won’t say that. No, there’s all sorts of things. The birthday cards were very popular because people came in. It was somebody’s birthday “oh,  better go and get a card.” I think there weren’t many things I could think of that they didn’t stock. You know, it was so well stocked with everything. And the people that ran it, the manager and the man, well it was a manageress when I went there. I mean they were always fully stocked with stuff.  They would replenish it from the stock room. You know, we weren’t ever short of stuff. And then they did also did cakes that we had to serve when I was first there. And of course the drinks were always popular, so I couldn’t really say there was much that we didn’t stock if, you know, all odds and ends, that would help the people in the hospital as well.

Interviewer

And what I have already worked out from meeting some of the ladies at King George’s is that you’ve all become great friends over the years?

Joan Key

Oh yes. Yes. We meet up now, you know, every now, and again, and have lunch together, which is nice now that we’ve all retired. Oh yes. I mean, because really you didn’t, in a way you didn’t know anybody, only the partner that you were with because, two at a time, you know, or we might go in and meet some of the others like that you were friendly with. But on the whole, you didn’t know everybody. But then we used to have a Christmas lunch. It was always provided, a Christmas lunch. So then you had the chance to meet all the other staff that were in the shop, you know? And that’s how you formed your friendships.

Interviewer

Yes, and do you have any favourite memory of being part of the volunteering band at King George’s?

Joan Key

Really, I probably enjoyed everything. You know, I can’t really think of anything particular, well the only thing I had a laugh was when one of the doctors bought me a Valentines card, because I said to somebody “oh, I’ve never had a Valentine’s card.” So he bought this Valentine’s card, and a box of chocolates. That’s the funniest thing.

Interviewer

Absolutely. I imagine it tickled the other volunteers as well.

Joan Key

Well, I have to say yes. The other lady, he said, “oh, I wish I’d said that!”

Interviewer

Do you think that volunteering changed over the time that you volunteered there? Or was it always the same?

Joan Key

No, I think it was much the same. I can’t see that it changed in any way.

Interviewer

Okay.

Joan Key

It just sort of seemed to go along more or less at the same rate. You sort of had your partner, and you kept with them. Mostly both worked at the same time. I worked with one lady at the beginning, but unfortunately she passed away. So then I had other volunteers, and I worked with one of the men all the time after that. Like, until he had to give it up, and that was then I used to get different girls in filling in.

Interviewer

You seem to have the stamina that’s kept you going through lots of different partners. <Laugh>

Joan Key

Well, you do. Because I mean to say, you know, when he, when the gentleman that I worked with when he passed away, I think I must’ve killed him off <laugh>. And when he passed away I had different girls. But it was nice because you sort of met them, and worked with them, you know, and you sort of worked away at the same time. It seemed nice to meet other people as well as, meeting all the staff. I enjoyed that part as well.

Interviewer

Absolutely. I can imagine. So do you think that hospitals still need volunteers today?

Joan Key

Oh yes. I would’ve thought so, but it depends. I mean, I know some people volunteer, and do things on the wards, and that. So I would think that they could always use somebody somewhere to help out. I don’t know. As I say, of course when the virus came, of course it put everybody off. Like, I mean, we were all elderly so I suppose they thought they’d get rid of us because they’ll be catching it. So, you know, I really missed it when I first stopped doing it, and felt, “oh yes, what do we do now on that day?” But you know, you get used to it, something else comes along and you do that.

Interviewer

But it, it seems to me as though you still all keep in touch with each other?

Joan Key

Yes, quite a few of us meet up, don’t we for lunch? Yes. Ruth comes when she’s not off gallivanting, but most of us keep up, and I’m meeting people like that. I also made two friends that we go to another club with. Well what happened was they worked on Monday afternoons, and I worked in the information desks Monday afternoons, so when I wasn’t busy, I’d go around, and have a little chat. because we were right next to each other like that, both the offices. So I’d go around if it wasn’t very busy like that, have a little chat,  and I’m still available on the door, for the people if they came. So I made quite good friends with them, and it’s them that I go to another club with now.

Interviewer

So it’s created a whole friendship network for you?

Joan Key

Yes, it has. Yes.

Interviewer

And it, I have to say it’s kept you young as well. <Laugh>. So when you were thinking about me coming today, was there anything else that you wanted to tell me that you haven’t had the chance to say yet?

Joan Key

No, the only reason I started was because of my husband. But apart from that, no. As I say, mostly sort of went on and on when I was first up there. Well, when I was up there all the time until he died, he used to come and pick me up Friday.

Interviewer

A really family contribution there.

Joan Key

Yes. Thank you. He had to do his work.

Interviewer

Thank you ever so much. Thank you.