Interviewer

Good afternoon. Could I start by asking your name?

Matthew

Matthew Swan

Interviewer

And Matthew, what friends group are we talking about today?

Matthew

We were talking about the Larchwood in Braintree

Interviewer

Okay, thank you. And could I ask how old you are?

Matthew

How old I am? 57.

Interviewer

Thank you. So let’s start a bit with your career. What’s your career?

Matthew

I’m a commercial manager for NatWest, and I’ve been in banking for 41 years now.

Interviewer

So what gets you into volunteering?

Matthew

Probably the fact that I have been in financial services for 40 odd years, and mainly wanting to actually put something back into the community. Because being a banker is not always the best things of what people think of people, but yes, certainly it was, I sort of got involved with various charities, but putting something back when I was about probably 35, 40 years old, but potentially have a bit more time.

Interviewer

So what charities have you been involved in?

Matthew

Initially Attend. It’s probably the first one I’ve been involved with now for over about 20 years. Colchester Mercury Theatre, MS UK, and also general Rotary Clubs as well.

Interviewer

And in those, are you just a general volunteer or do they use your skills in any way, particularly?

Matthew

You tend to be pigeonholed a little bit towards the financial part, but I don’t mind that. That’s fine, and I’m quite happy to do that, but I also am sort of interested in getting involved with some of the other bits and pieces as well that goes on in the organisations.

Interviewer

So for example, I can remember you did a run at one stage?

Matthew

Yes, I have done a couple of marathons.

Interviewer

So tell me about those.

Matthew

I’d rather not.

Matthew

If I told you about them, they took a very, very long time, so no, they are partly enjoyable, mainly at the start, and at the end. The middle bit is not so great. But yes, the whole sort of excitement of it and, everything like that is enjoyable.

Interviewer

And what do your family think about you getting involved in volunteering?

Matthew

Well, I do think that they are sort of “proud” or something of that nature, but I do generally think – I’ve got three daughters – and I do generally think that it shows that hopefully they look at it and think, “well, it’s good to be involved”. I tried to get them involved with anything local, and, but yes, I don’t think it does any harm when they were growing up to see someone giving their time for free, and general volunteering in that sense.

Interviewer

Absolutely. And I think you’ve been recognised for your volunteering too.

Matthew

Yes. I was very fortunate to receive a BEM in 2020, and that was during Covid, so we went to the Essex, Chelmsford Town Hall and had the ceremony there. So yes, that was fantastic. My Mum was very pleased.

Interviewer

Absolutely. It’s important that Mums know what we do. Now, Friends of Larchwood. So you are the Treasurer there?

Matthew

Yes, I’m the Treasurer there. It was, I think it was probably because I live in Colchester and it was at the infancy of us in Attend getting involved with Care Homes, and I think we had the view that, you know, just because Care Homes are privately owned, there is no reason why we can’t actually have volunteers in those organisations. And hopefully we were at the forefront of doing that. We set up the Larchwood one, and I think probably sort of eight, nine years ago now, it’s some time ago, and it’s gone from strength to strength. We’ve been able to improve things like the garden, Christmas gifts. But some of the things, the befriending, element and visiting into the home and seeing the residents is. There is no reason why you can’t go into Care Homes as a voluntary organisation.

Interviewer

Brilliant. I think it’s really important that, I was going to say, sometimes it’s relatively easy to find somebody who might get involved in befriending. It’s much harder to find somebody who will be the Treasurer. So we are very grateful to you for that.

Matthew

No, it’s kind of you to say.  I think often with these things, people, seem to think that they take up so much more of your time, but they often don’t. And then everyone’s in a busy world, it would be, you know, I think there should be more people volunteering if they possibly could.

Interviewer

So if we look across the range, we’ve talked about the Mercury Theatre. Do you have a favourite memory of volunteering?

Matthew

I think it would have to be the marathon, I suppose, is probably the main one. But also I would think that setting up, and trying to get something of the nature of Larchwood up and running, and actually go in there for the initial event, and seeing the residents, and it just gives you hope if you like, and how we should be putting more back into the society really.

Interviewer

So when you knew you were going to be talking to me today, was there anything you wanted to say that you haven’t had the chance to say yet?

Matthew

Oh, that’s a good question. I don’t think so. I do as I’ve said before, I think everybody lives, and we all have busy times, busy jobs, et cetera. But I think we have to get through to people about how giving your own time up is so rewarding, and that gets missed a little bit, and people think, “oh, it’s, it’s not for me. I can’t really do that. I haven’t got the time.” But, I think you have to look at it that even through your whole lifespan, whether you’ve got younger children or children about to go to university, there is always a little bit of an element that you can give. It doesn’t have to be, it doesn’t have to be sort of three or four hours a week, but there is something you can do. And I think, I think if we can get that through to society in general, that will, obviously everything will be a lot, a lot better, the world will be a better place.

Interviewer

Thank you. Thank you ever so much.