3. Suzanne Hughes - Bench Talk with Jo Hilditch

This podcast celebrates the buzz of volunteering. My subject this time, Suzanne Hughes, is an extraordinary ordinary person who has discovered the adrenaline rush that being a volunteer can give. Suzanne will put her hand up for anything and everything and she tells the everyday tale of how helping other people can bring light to the individual, her struggles with MS and of course her three top tips for Herefordshire tourism.

Suzanne lives in Lyonshall and has been a neighbour of ours for nearly 30 years – our kids were at school together. Of course there is much more to Suzanne than a 17 minute interview but this gives you a flavour of someone for whom volunteering has become a way of life; and has made me think about how these selfless people are often the life blood of our community. There are many who do the same kind of thing as Suzanne, but her joie de vivre and her enthusiasm for work despite her disability of MS makes her a shining example of how anyone can help.

Our bench is in her garden which is in front of Lyonshall Castle next to her house and farmyard. We had donkeys behind us, geese in front of us, ducks on the pond, birds in the trees and you can even hear the toll of the Lyonshall church bell part way through.

References:
https://www.kingtonwalks.org

Herefordshire Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Support Trust - HMSST - local support for local needs in Herefordshire
Hereford MS Centre – Oxygen Therapy and more
www.visitherefordshire.co.uk
Our churches – Herefordshire Historic Churches Trust (hhct.co.uk)
MarchesMakers - made in the marchesgallery​
HVOSS - Categories - volunteering
www.highsheriffherefordshire.org
www.highsheriff.com