Celebrating the Heart of Haslewey – Our Incredible Beryl

At Haslewey Community Centre, we are incredibly fortunate to have a wonderful team of volunteers who dedicate their time to supporting both our community centre and the people of Haslemere.

As a local charity at the heart of the community, Haslewey simply could not continue to thrive without the kindness and commitment of those who give up their time to help others.

This month, we would especially like to celebrate one truly extraordinary lady — the wonderful Beryl.

At 92 years young, Beryl still volunteers at Haslewey four days a week.

Arriving early each morning, Beryl helps prepare the café for the day ahead. From cleaning tables and preparing cutlery to washing dishes, sorting laundry and helping with countless daily jobs, she works tirelessly to keep everything running smoothly.

Beryl also helps run our much-loved Monday bingo sessions, bringing friendship, laughter and companionship to so many members of the community.

Beryl has been volunteering at Haslewey since it first opened in 2003, making her our longest-serving volunteer. Over the years, she has become a much-loved part of the Haslewey family, building many close friendships and regularly joining outings and social events organised through the centre.

Those who know Beryl will all say the same thing — she is one of the kindest, warmest and most caring people you could ever meet. She always has a smile on her face and time for others.

It is no surprise that Beryl previously received a Haslemere Community Award in recognition of her incredible contribution to the local community and especially Haslewey.

Born and raised on a farm in Witley, Beryl spent much of her working life caring for others. She worked as a nanny before later becoming Assistant Matron at a school for disabled children in Graffham. After marrying, she and her husband worked locally as housekeeper and chauffeur — a real-life Downton Abbey story.

When asked why she still volunteers so much, Beryl simply said:

“It’s fun. I don’t want to stay at home watching TV. Haslewey is so friendly and it’s good to work there.”

She then added something that perfectly captures the spirit of volunteering:

“Volunteering keeps me alive.”

For those unfamiliar with Haslewey, we are a non-government-funded community centre offering a wide range of activities, support services and social opportunities for people of all ages.

Most importantly, Haslewey offers friendship, connection and community — and people like Beryl are the heartbeat of Haslewey.

Beryl, from all of us at Haslewey — thank you from the bottom of our hearts.