Carol Webster has been volunteering with Kew Neighbourhood Association since April 2020, when the first COVID lockdown began. A retired primary school teacher and local resident, Carol stepped forward at a time of uncertainty and has remained one of KNA’s most devoted volunteers ever since.

As part of KNA’s 50th Anniversary celebrations, we are sharing stories that capture the heart of our work, people quietly transforming lives through everyday acts of care. Carol Webster is one of those people.

In early 2025, Carol was nominated for a Community Heroes Award in recognition of her outstanding dedication as a Kew Neighbourhood Association volunteer. Her nomination highlighted the depth of her care and the impact of her support on one individual’s ability to remain independent in later life.

Carol began volunteering with KNA in April 2020, during the first national lockdown. A retired primary school teacher and Kew resident, she signed up to help at a time of great uncertainty. Since then, she has provided consistent, thoughtful support to the same client, CN, who was 91 at the time and is now 96.

For five years, Carol has carried out weekly food shops, taken on household tasks, and gently monitored CN’s wellbeing. She has ensured CN and her son, who lives in residential care, receive a Christmas meal together each year, personally delivering it to their home. She has noticed when CN’s hearing needed attention and made sure the GP was contacted. She reported faulty appliances, from fridges to remote controls, and followed through until everything was fixed or replaced. She even bought portable heaters when the central heating failed, and took time to teach CN how to use them safely.

When CN was discharged from hospital after a fall, Carol had already restocked the cupboards. She has raised concerns with KNA and CN’s family when needed, always balancing compassion with a clear sense of boundaries. To help manage communication, Carol worked with KNA to set up a WhatsApp group including CN’s relatives and the office, where they could share concerns, ask questions, and celebrate the joyful moments too.

Carol has never sought recognition for her efforts. But her contribution is one that reflects the very essence of neighbourliness. Through her steady, practical care, she has made it possible for someone to grow older at home with dignity and connection. As we mark fifty years of community service, we are proud to honour Carol as one of the people who quietly holds that work together.