Building Independence Through Volunteering: Mathew’s Story

For nearly ten years, Liz has supported Mathew in his volunteering role, helping him build a meaningful presence in his local community. Finding the right placement took a few months of searching, but St Giles Bookshop in Ashby turned out to be the perfect fit. Over the decade, Mathew has developed fantastic relationships with the manager and the regular team. It is a place where he feels entirely comfortable, valued, and completely at home.

Ultimately, this role gives Mathew a true sense of purpose. He absolutely loves his job, and that enthusiasm shows. Mathew is famously always so smiley, bringing a warm and cheerful energy to everyone he interacts with. Every Tuesday morning, he arrives, greets his colleagues, puts away his things, and signs in. Choosing and putting on his volunteer lanyard is always a proud moment for him—it represents his identity as an active, working member of the team.

Liz works side-by-side with Mathew to support him across a variety of tasks, ensuring everything matches his strengths. He takes immense pride in contributing to the shop's success, whether he is sitting down to put price tickets on a new selection of books, fetching supplies like milk and teabags from the local shop, or serving behind the counter alongside his colleagues. A recent morning spent helping a teammate at the till was a perfect example of his job satisfaction, full of great conversation and plenty of laughter.

Mathew’s role also extends out into the neighbourhood, giving him a valued position in the wider community. One of his favourite aspects of the job is running local errands for the shop. He loves catching up with other local business staff who always greet his familiar, smiling face warmly, and he genuinely enjoys a friendly chat.

His volunteering day provides a fantastic structure that often connects right into his personal life. After wrapping up a rewarding shift at the bookshop, Mathew regularly enjoys spending quality time out in town, such as meeting up with his Grandma for lunch or heading over to the local library for a relaxing afternoon.

Through his dedication and the steady support of Liz and Enrych, Mathew has built a role he genuinely loves. His journey is a powerful example of how the right opportunity can provide independence, connection, and a deep sense of personal accomplishment.