A Perfect Team: Volunteering Across the Village

Published May 29, 2026 by Charlotte Millions

“Volunteering has given us a purpose, now I look forward to Tuesday and Thursday mornings because I’m getting up and doing something I’m thoroughly enjoying.”

For Neil and wife Nicole, volunteering at Shenley Wood Village has become a meaningful and enjoyable part of retirement.

After receiving a flyer 2 years ago about Shenley Wood Retirement Village, Neil and Nicole Wickham came along to an afternoon tea event. What they heard that day stayed with them. “The resident at the presentation absolutely loved it,” Neil remembers, “he said the best way to find out if you’d enjoy it was to volunteer.” Inspired by that advice, the couple signed up with Neil registering to work at the gym, while Nicole signed up to help on reception.

Since June 2024, they have volunteered every Tuesday and Thursday from 9am to 12pm. Together, they have become familiar faces within the village and a valued part of its wider community.

Both say volunteering has brought friendship, routine and enjoyment to their week. Neil supports people in the gym by showing them how to use the machines safely, helping reset equipment, wiping machines down and assisting with paperwork. Meanwhile, Nicole has become a warm and welcoming presence on reception, often being the first person to greet people when they arrive.

Nicole enjoys the social side of the role. “I love talking to people,” she says. “I look forward to going in, being around them and hearing their stories. It’s a completely different world.”

Volunteering is nothing new for the couple. During the pandemic they supported their local food bank, and since retiring they have continued giving their time in different ways. Their roles at Shenley Wood Village are part of that same desire to stay active, connected and useful.

There is also something special about volunteering side by side. Neil jokes that he often peers out from the gym to make sure Nicole’s working, while she does the same for him. That shared experience has made their time at the village even more rewarding.

Their involvement has even brought further health and wellbeing benefits in retirement. Neil says that before retiring, neither of them really used the gym, but now they exercise more than ever. “The gym offers a mix of people, all of different ages, including those attending for stroke rehabilitation, which helps create a space that feels supportive rather than intimidating,” he feels, there is “less judgement”, making it easier for people of all abilities to feel comfortable.

For both Neil and Nicole volunteering has brought a great deal to their lives, one of the biggest benefits of volunteering has been helping others understand what Shenley Wood Village really offers. “It helps make people aware of what the village is like if you’re in the wider community,” Neil says. As people from outside the village who use the gym, wellbeing team and even the hairdresser, Neil and Nicole feel strongly that more people should know these facilities are there and accessible.

Nicole believes volunteering helps challenge common misconceptions about retirement communities. “The fact that it’s a village, people don’t realise how different a retirement village like Shenley Wood is from a care home,” she says. “It’s independent living.”

Volunteering has also brought a renewed sense of purpose. Both admit they was concerned that retirement might leave them with little to do, but it has in fact been the opposite. As Nicole says, “volunteering has given us a purpose, now I look forward to Tuesday and Thursday mornings because I’m getting up and doing something I’m thoroughly enjoying.”

Their commitment goes beyond their regular shifts too. Over time, they have supported other village events, including stepping in as marshals on New Year’s Eve when extra help was needed.

Shenley Wood Village has become part of their lives. Whether spending time in the gym, covering reception for a lunch break or simply stopping to chat with people they know, Neil and Nicole describe it as a place where they feel comfortable and connected. Retirement, they say, is anything but quiet. Between volunteering, home life and their social lives, they often joke that they do not know how they ever found time to work. While moving into the village is not something they are considering for now, their experience has opened their eyes to everything it has to offer.

Neil says he would happily recommend volunteering to others, “It’s just a great community atmosphere.”

Through the village, Neil and Nicole have built new friendships they would never otherwise have made, and are a truly important part of village life.

Find out more about volunteering at ExtraCare: Volunteer with us

A Perfect Team: Volunteering Across the Village

For Neil and wife Nicole, volunteering at Shenley Wood Village has become a meaningful and enjoyable part of retirement.

Charlotte Millions

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