The Friends of Fort England are appealing for a volunteer to help them head up the Fort England Library.
The Friends of Fort England are appealing for a volunteer to help them head up the Fort England Library.
The position involves working a little over an hour a week at the library where books are distributed and helping to collect magazines and books to contribute to the library holdings.
“It’s a person to person relationship where all you need to do is smile and share a kind word. The people there don’t talk much,” said Friends of Fort England Hospital Association chairperson Roswitha Hobson.
The library, which is 35 years old, is currently open on Friday afternoons from 1.30-2.30pm but the times are negotiable.
It is positioned in an old, shabby-looking building that used to be a hair salon and still has no signage indicating that it is a library.
It is by no means a busy library and the number of people who come through during the hour-long slot varies each week.
But, the time spent there is of much benefit to patients, who have little interaction with people outside the hospital.
This is their opportunity to do something fun with their Friday afternoons.
“It’s nice to know that someone thinks of you and sees you as a person,” said Hobson.
According to Hobson, many of the books are never returned by patients.
Friends of Fort England adopt a relaxed stance on such issues.
Hobson sees the opportunity to share a book as of greater benefit to patients than the constraints of returning it on time.
Ron Hall, a retired member of Friends of Fort England who is running the library at the moment, said, “Occasionally you find a person who loves to read and lives for Fridays afternoons. It’s a minimal service, but it makes a difference to people’s lives.”
Patients enjoy taking out magazines more than books and are particularly interested in ‘gossip magazines’ like You, Heat, Huisgenoot, People, Hello and TV Plus.
The library is reliant on donations of books from the community to keep up the stocks.
Of the few people who do enjoy reading books, the thrillers are the most popular.
The person who agrees to this volunteering position would be expected to assist in the collection of books and work with Friends of Fort England to accumulate funds to do further outreach projects at the hospital, like giving Christmas gifts to patients.
The volunteer required will not need to have any prior library work experience, but it would help if they have minimal knowledge about mental illness.
Hobson says this type of work has proven to be very rewarding.
“If you help others you will always benefit yourself,” said Hobson.
“It’s not serving long-term problems. It just makes life a little more bearable for a few people,” said Hall.
