Have you ever been curious about what another volunteer role involves?  

We caught up with Neville, a coordinator for his local tea party group, to find out what a typical week is like for him in the run up to a tea party. 

“I always plan the tea party schedule for the year ahead so everyone in the group knows who will be hosting and when.   

“On the Sunday before the tea party, I’ll email a reminder to the host and check that they’re still happy with the arrangements. The following day, I’ll put a message in our tea party chat group to confirm exactly who will be coming along on the day and I’ll ask the drivers to contact their allocated guests.  I always ask them to get back to me within the next few days to confirm that they’ve managed to speak to them.  

“On the morning of the tea party, I’ll ring the guests to remind them when they’re being picked up.  I’m a backup driver myself so I pick up my own guest and I aim to arrive at least 15 minutes before the tea party starts.  

“I like to make name badges for our guests and volunteers.  Most of our hosts only host once or twice a year so it really helps them to get to know everyone quickly.  I normally take along a box of chocolates for the host too.  

“All that remains then is to enjoy an afternoon of friendship and fun.  And of course, I always make sure I drop a line to our volunteers to thank them for their hard work. 

“There are times when things don’t go as smoothly as you hope they will and sometimes a spanner can get thrown in the works at the last minute.  We have a tea party planned for next Sunday 18 December and as it’s our last tea party of the year, I’ve arranged for an entertainer to join us.  Last week, when I learned that England might be playing in the World Cup final at 3pm that day, I was faced with a dilemma about whether I should make our tea party a Sunday brunch, just in case England made it through.

“As a retired insurance broker, solving problems like these can feel a bit like being back at work and I enjoy that.”