During his working life George Moss was the union convenor at his employers, a Bristol paint company. He spent 32 years there and, when he called time on that occupation, he landed himself a job at his local bookies.

George has been fully retired now for the past 16 months, but he's certainly not been idle. On the contrary, he's now an important volunteer for the city's branch of Age Concern.

"For about two years I had been wanting to do voluntary work for the elderly," says George, a 69-year-old widower from Hartcliffe.

"My wife died a few years ago and I now live with my sister and mother."

So George signed on for an information and advice course, something that he could then use to help Age Concern with its local telephone advice line, a vital link to helping other older people.

"The course lasted about four and a half months and covered all sorts of subject such as attendance allowances, disability issues and pension credits," says George. "At the end I was successful and obtained my certificate. The training was certainly very extensive and very, very good. Now I man the telephone lines and make appointments for people who need to come in to the office in Victoria Street.

"I go in one day a week for about five hours. We get a lot of calls. The phone is ringing from the time I go in until I finish."

There's some computer work to do, too, and George is already learning more about that aspect of the job.

He says: "I joined the Gatehouse Centre, Withywood, a few months ago for a computer course and am now on Level One dealing with spreadsheets."

He gives his volunteering work a hearty endorsement but stresses it's not just a personal job satisfaction he's looking for – it's more a social campaign. He explains that there are far too many people who are not receiving what's on offer. They are not claiming the benefits or the assistance they could to make their lives easier as they grow older.

"All my life I have enjoyed helping people and I am now trying to help these people access this help," says George.

His work for the cause doesn't just stop there, either. George also goes out and about in his local South Bristol community distributing leaflets telling people what is available to them.

Does he recommend others following suit and volunteering like him?

He certainly does. For him it was, he says, "a very good move".