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"Thanks to Durk, I am back where I belong"
The Prince Garden, Rengerspark, the city centre and the suburbs. Thanks to volunteer Durk, 89-year-old Belli gets outside more. The two are linked through the organisation Bezoek&Co and walk through Leeuwarden every Tuesday.
"I always wanted to volunteer," says Durk. "When I was still working, I couldn't find the time for that. When I stopped working, I immediately started looking. Through Amaryllis' site SamenLeeuwarden.nl, I got in touch with Rennie from Bezoek&Co. I wanted to help people who are alone a lot and can no longer get out the door. That's how I was linked to 89-year-old Belli who lives in Sint Jozef in Leeuwarden."
Belli herself can still go around small blocks with her walker, but for longer stretches she has a wheelchair. Then she needs someone to push her.
A real guide
He actually wanted to become a city guide, but he can fully find his niche in the walks. "We see so much and it's fun for both of us. Volunteering enriches your life. You can really mean something to someone." "I can look forward to something every week," Belli adds. "Durk knows a lot. He can tell something about every place."
"Volunteering enriches your life. You can really mean something to someone."
Even though Belli spent her childhood in Leeuwarden and has lived there for 50 years, she still discovers all kinds of new places. "Durk shows me places I've never been," she laughs. "Especially the parks are beautiful. I used to live in the city centre and the city was very different. With Durk, I come back to the city centre. Thanks to him, I'm back where I belong." Along the way, they often end up on a terrace. "Madam especially likes pastries," jokes Durk.
Volunteer too
Are you hesitating about volunteering? Durk offers tips: "First look at what all is possible. What do people expect from you and what do you want to get out of it? If you only do it to please someone else, it will be difficult. You have to get something out of it yourself. Know that it is not entirely without obligation. Belli really looks forward to our walks. Then I can't just cancel. But when it clicks, it gives so much satisfaction."
