After finishing a year's full time course at Redbridge College in Essex to become a communication support worker for deaf people, I decided to become a volunteer for Deafblind UK.

I was so lucky to be offered the chance to become a volunteer at Roper House in Canterbury, Kent and I have been a volunteer in their daycare section for the last four years. 

I come every Thursday from 9.30am to 3.00pm, and work with four deafblind residents and one daycare client. I have been able to teach one resident Braille and Moon (a similar but easier to pick up system that uses embossed letters). This has altered their lives in that they can now read their own books and letters.

I have had the opportunity to join in many of the activities in daycare and together with the residents we have sowed seeds, pricked out seedlings, done gardening, flower arranging, cooking, needlework, painting and made Easter hats. The list is endless!

Once a month I take one particular resident to the pub for lunch, and last year I took a resident to Ireland to visit an old school friend for a few days.

I always leave Roper House feeling very humble that I have been allowed to be part of these residents’ lives.

Over the years I have increased my skills and am now able to teach Braille and Moon, have deafblind awareness training skills, run deafblind awareness courses for people within the RNID, have passed British Sign Language (BSL) level 2 and am now an interpreter for deafblind people. I have also nearly completed a degree course in deafblind studies.

I must also say a big thank you to Rajini Dasan – one of the senior staff at Roper House who runs the daycare and is now also my friend, for all the help and support she has given me at my time in Roper House. Also I must thank the manager John Lynn and all the staff who have made me feel so at home.