National Volunteer Week

Colin is one of our dedicated Distribution Warehouse and Patient Transport Driver Volunteers. He first began volunteering with Australian Red Cross in 2008 and more regularly since 2013. After taking a two-year break during the COVID pandemic, Colin returned to lend a helping hand, continuing his commitment to helping others. As part of National Volunteer Week, Australian Red Cross recently sat down with Colin to learn more about his journey, experiences and what inspires his ongoing commitment to volunteering.

What inspired you to volunteer at Australian Red Cross, and how does it help you feel more connected to the community?

I needed something to do to fill in my time, and at the time, the Red Cross warehouse was in Melbourne’s south-west, which was really convenient [and close] to home. It was an organisation doing good in the community, and I was already doing patient transport with Red Cross by that stage, so I had that connection. My mother had done patient transport many years earlier, so I knew about it through her. When I took a redundancy from my career, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, but I knew I didn’t want to go back into full-time work. Volunteering seemed like a good fit, and Red Cross offered plenty of local opportunities, which really appealed to me.

Being able to volunteer locally helped me feel connected to my community because everything was basically on my doorstep. I didn’t have to travel far, and I met other drivers and volunteers. After working for 34 years, it gave me a new chance to meet people and be social again. I started volunteering in 2008 and then more consistently from 2013 onwards. I did take a two-year break during COVID, but came straight back afterward. Both the Red Cross warehouse and patient transport volunteer roles have been flexible, which is important with personal commitments. Everyone’s always been accommodating, and it’s never been a problem if I needed time off for holidays. It’s great to be part of something meaningful, while also being able to enjoy myself along the way.

Can you share a moment from your volunteering that really demonstrated the power of human connection?

It’s easier to see that power with patient transport because of the people we help. A lot of them are going in for medical treatment, including cancer treatment, and they just want someone to talk to. If you've been in that situation yourself or heard enough stories from others, you can relate and offer some reassurance. For example, when people are heading in for radiotherapy and have no idea what to expect, I can let them know it’s quick, generally painless, and not as intimidating as it seems.

Even outside of transport, when I used to do shop runs and connect with the store managers, you felt like you were part of a team. That feeling of being part of something bigger and meaningful gives you a real sense of purpose. The driving has also taken me to places I’d never normally go. One passenger even joked that he liked going with me because I never took the same route twice. I used to say to passengers, "You’ll see parts of Melbourne you’ve never seen before!"

You meet all sorts of interesting people and hear their stories. It makes the whole experience enjoyable and rewarding. Even through events and drives we've done — like working with Coles warehouses across Melbourne — it opens your eyes to new environments and experiences you wouldn’t normally encounter.

How has volunteering changed or deepened your understanding of the communities we serve at Australian Red Cross?

Oh, that's a good question. I suppose the biggest thing is that you’re constantly relating to people, especially through patient transport. You see different situations and experiences all the time. And as economic circumstances change, you really start to pick up on how those pressures impact people. You come to appreciate just how much people value the services we provide. Without Red Cross, many of them would be left without essential support.

I remember one case near Christmas, when we were about to go on holidays, and a patient told me it was going to cost him $200 a week just to get to his medical treatment without our help. That really hit home how vital these services are.

It’s also made me appreciate the connection between the different parts of Red Cross. In retail, the income that’s generated helps fund these services — like patient transport, Telecross, and other programs that support people who are lonely or doing it tough. It all links together. Without the work done in retail, there would be fewer services available, especially during tough economic times.

So yes, volunteering has definitely deepened my understanding of how Red Cross supports our community and how every role contributes to the bigger picture.

In what ways do you see your volunteer work strengthening community bonds or bringing people together?

You might only see one part of the puzzle when you're in a specific role, but being across both transport and warehouse work, I've been lucky enough to see how it all fits together. The stories, the support, the outreach — it all helps bring people together and creates stronger, more connected communities.

Being able to share those stories and experiences is part of it too. It helps remind everyone why we do what we do, especially when it feels like we’re just talking about freight or logistics. There’s a purpose behind it all — and that purpose is people.

What does “connecting communities” mean to you, and how does your volunteering reflect that idea?

To me, connecting communities means building relationships, supporting one another, and creating a stronger, more inclusive society. I’m very big on this whole sense of community. Over the past 20 years, it feels like we’ve lost some of that connectedness and willingness to help each other out. But that’s what makes the world a better place: when we step up to support each other.

Volunteering aligns with those values. It gives me personal satisfaction, gets me out of the house, lets me meet people, and allows me to give back to the community. It means contributing to something bigger than myself, especially to support those who really need it. I’ve got the time — so why not give it?

Anything else you’d like to share?

I could probably talk for hours! But honestly, I’ve just found it so rewarding. Whether it's helping patients, talking with someone going through cancer treatment, or just offering reassurance from past experiences — it's those small things that can really help someone through a tough time.

All of this comes from the opportunities I’ve had through Red Cross. The experience, the people I’ve met, the stories I’ve heard — they all help me support others better. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s about: trying to make life a little easier for someone else. And that’s something I’m proud to be part of.