GoCo Gunnedah, Tamworth, Barraba volunteers discuss their love for helping elderly clients

She's been on the GoCo Gunnedah team for about five years, alongside her husband, Richard.

She said times have changed since she first started lending a hand, as she now primarily takes clients from Gunnedah to Tamworth for GP appointments.

"A lot of them can't get to doctors with the way Gunnedah is now, there's only a few doctors," she said.

"Most of them are coming here to Tamworth and the only way they can get here is with GoCo. All their sons and daughters are working so they're stranded in their homes so I think the word's getting out there now to contact a service like GoCo."

She also enjoys taking clients on the mystery trips. They've recently been taken to Spring Ridge, Moore Creek, and enjoyed lunch at Baan Baa pub.

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As part of National Volunteers Week, GoCo spoilt about 40 volunteers from Tamworth, Gunnedah, Barraba, Nundle and Kootingal to a luncheon at the Riviera Bar and Grill.

The NVI also caught up with Karen Roudenko, who volunteers with GoCo Tamworth.

"I used to do volunteering with Meals on Wheels but this is fantastic and I come in a few times a week for it. I live out of town and travelling doesn't bother me at all because I absolutely love it," Mrs Roudenko said.

She's only been doing it for about five weeks, but she hasn't looked back.

"I take them out to coffee shops and some shopping and do some in-house ones as well, so elderly people who have dementia," she said.

"I take some painting and craft work that their family didn't think they'd be interested in but they're loving it, and that makes me happy, that gives me such satisfaction that they're happy."

Fellow husband and wife team Peter and Adrienne Hancock reflected on their favourite thing about being part of the GoCo Barraba team, too.

Mrs Hancock enjoys seeing the people, but she misses them when she's not out and about helping them.

Her husband helps out with the men's morning tea on the second Monday of every month.

"Normally they have a guest speaker from various places in town and we just talk about normal day-to-day things. The main thing is to check on their welfare and how they're running," Mr Hancock said.

"You can tell by talking to people whether they're alright or not."

In 2020, GoCo volunteers helped to deliver 4100 hours of social support, 10,700 hours of social groups, 3615 meals on wheels, and 4707 one-way trips.

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