A FORMER aircraft engineer who lost his leg in a car accident said volunteering saved his life.

Cliff Puddy, from Burnham-on-Sea, has been volunteering for Healthwatch Somerset for the last five years and is urging residents to volunteer for the organisation.

The 73-year-old tragically lost his leg when he was 33 years old in a car accident in the county but after six months in a coma and many more months of physiotherapy and rehabilitation he was able to return to work as a MOD aircraft inspector.

More than 20 years later, Cliff suffered the first of two strokes while he was working in America and suffered speech problems and mobility issues which left him unable to work.

Cliff said volunteering with Healthwatch Somerset 'saved his life'.

“If it hadn’t been for volunteering, I would be sitting in the house staring at the same four walls and with no real purpose," Cliff said.

"At one point I was so low I would have taken my own life. 

“Being able to get out of the house and meet people who treat me as a human being and not a cripple means all the difference. Volunteering really saved my life.”

The health and care champion has launched a campaign to recruit more volunteers to help its team gather feedback from the public.

A number of volunteering roles are on offer including visiting health venues and speaking to patients, staff and families and acting as an ambassador for the organisation at events and meetings.

Dr Sara Nelson from Healthwatch Somerset said: "Volunteers like Cliff are at the heart of everything we do, from talking to people about their experiences of local health and care services, to sitting on the board of directors.

“Whatever your background, we are keen to hear from you if you think you could fill one of these roles. People can make a real difference to their communities and help to shape their local health and care services."

All volunteers willgo through a full training and personal development programme and are given a volunteer handbook as well as access to an online portal with up to date policies and procedures.

Cliff said he hopes more people will volunteer for Healthwatch Somerset and says it helps people 'have a voice'.

Cliff added: “I would recommend volunteering to anyone who wants to help people have their voice heard on the way health and care services are run locally.

"You really can make a difference.

"For example, I have attended every Stroke Club in Somerset to find out the issues people are talking about. Many years ago stroke patients were saying they didn't receive good care at hospital.

"These findings were taken back to the hospital trust who then introduced an early discharge procedure to allow stroke patients to get 12 weeks of physiotherapy at home rather than in hospital."

For more information call 01278 264405, email info@healthwatchsomerset.co.uk or visit healthwatchsomerset.co.uk.