Liberty Lodge No. 5573

WBro. Vic Blomeley lends a hand to help others

It all started two months ago when I received an e-mail asking if I would like to take part in a 5 k sponsored run in September, well as you can imagine with my knees it wasn`t an option, so they asked if I would act as a collector in an Argos store on the 26th July instead. The charity as you can imagine is very close to my heart, so I readily agreed, and requested the Argos store in Middleton. Some two weeks later it was confirmed I would collect in Argos Middleton from 10am to 1pm on Saturday 26th July. A week before that date my collectors kit arrived including stickers, a name tag and a T shirt emblazoned with " Alzheimer`s Society " " Alzheimer`s Society Scotland " and Finally " Alzheimer`s Society Northern Ireland ".

I visited the store on the Wednesday beforehand to introduce myself to the manageress and staff, and was made extremely welcome. So armed with a packet of mints I arrived at the store at 0930am on Saturday 26th, wearing the afore mentioned T shirt, and feeling a bit silly ( I don`t look my best in T shirts ). The staff had prepared a table for me to use for the collection bucket and stickers, but I carried them nearly all the time, so no one could make off with it. The first money to go in the bucket was that donated by Brethren of Liberty Lodge, the manageress was well impressed. The first hour passed slowly but then the time seemed to fly by. It`s amazing how people who look as if they could afford to spare a few coppers don`t seem to see a 6 foot 2 inch, 15 stone idiot dressed in a weird T shirt, and consequently don`t add to the bucket. But many who seem to be in the category of maybe you donating to them seem to spot you immediately and empty all the small change from their purse or pocket. At 1pm our licence was complete so after thanking the staff for their kind attention, offers of tea, coffee and toffees etc I made my way home to Wendy, half starved and dying for a brew. I know it was offered at Argos but I didn`t want to be leaving my post for the loo every few minutes.

At about 4pm the manageress telephoned me to say a total of £222.16p had been the result of my mornings work. The total collected nation wide will be available after 18th August. I received a very nice e-mail from the Society thanking me for volunteering, and giving my time, I  must say I rather enjoyed it and have made it known I will gladly assist again in anything that is not too strenuous.