Volunteer Roger still going strong after 40+ years' service
He may be 80 years old with 42 years of devoted voluntary service under his belt, but thoughts of putting his feet up and retiring couldn't be further from Roger Brewer's mind. "That's for old people," he jokes. "Retirement isn't in my vocabulary!"
Roger first signed up as a volunteer chaplain at what was then St Crispin's Hospital back in 1984, and he has provided spiritual guidance and support for countless patients and families ever since.
These days he divides his time between the NHFT Chaplaincy Team at Berrywood Hospital and similar roles with St Andrew's Healthcare, HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough, and in the community for those at the end of life.
And he still remembers the moment he was first inspired to help others as a young boy aged 10 or 11.
"There was a young boy about my age who lived in an orphanage," Roger recalls.
"I had no idea what an orphanage was so I asked my parents, who said it means he doesn't have any parents. I felt so upset for the boy, so I made friends with him and with my next week's pocket money I bought him a bar of chocolate.
"I've always had empathy for others and helping them is something that's very close to my heart."
During his working life, Roger was successful in a demanding career as a senior retail manager and was a self-confessed "workaholic".
But his desire to support the community, guided by the Christian faith he shared with his late wife, eventually led to a change of direction. He switched to part-time working, took up his first chaplaincy roles and has never looked back.
"My job was so demanding and I said to my wife that surely there's more to life than just making money for somebody else," Roger says.
"Sadly my wife died in 2000 but she had been a full-time voluntary worker and I'm glad to have been able to carry that on."
As part of the wider Chaplaincy Team and just one of hundreds of volunteers who regularly give up their time to support NHFT's work, Roger is modest about his individual contribution.
But his selfless commitment to others got the recognition it deserved when he was invited to meet the King at a Buckingham Palace garden party in 2024.
And he doesn't plan to give it up any time soon!
"I work with an excellent chaplaincy team here and I'm just a team member really - I'm not anything special," he insists.
"But our support makes a huge difference to people because it gives them hope.
"I go to bed late, get up early and I never take a nap. I feel about 35 or 40! What I do is very important to me and I will carry on doing it for as long as I'm able."