Elisabeth volunteered to staff a stall at the Hightown Festival on 6th July 2019. She sold plants and vegetables grown at her allotment, as well as designing a fun ‘guess the potato variety competition‘. We asked her why she volunteered for Headway Luton.
“When I was around age 19 in the 1970s, I left Sweden to come and work in London in St Mungos – a charity for people experiencing homelessness. This is where I first came into contact with people who had a brain injury. People who are homeless usually have multiple problems. Addiction is of course one of the most common reasons why people become homeless, but a brain injury is something that can start the slide into destitution too. I remember a jockey who I met in one of the St Mungo night shelters. He had been famous and had ridden Grand National winners but his career ended abruptly when he had a riding accident. He suffered a severe head injury and was now living with a metal plate in his head. His personality had changed as a result of this accident. He became impulsive and his judgment was impaired. So eventually through a series of bad decisions and reckless behaviours he lost everything and ended up homeless. He eventually settled into one of the St Mungo hostels where he stabilised and was able to live a more settled life because he didn’t have to cope with paying rent, cooking food and household budgeting.”
If you have some life experience and understanding of brain injury, or if you are willing to learn, please get in touch about volunteering opportunities.
