Volunteering

Patients and their families meet volunteers at many different stages of their time under our care. They may not even know how many volunteers have been involved in the care they have received.

When a patient is referred to the Hospice it may be suggested that they should attend the Day Hospice. Thanks to our team of volunteer drivers we are able to offer transport to and from the Hospice even if the patient needs to travel in a wheel chair. The first volunteer a patient or relative meets may well be the driver who arrives to pick them up on a Day Hospice morning. All our drivers are trained to be aware of problems patients might experience getting in and out of a car and do not mind if it takes a while. Over the weeks that a patient attends Day Hospice they often get to know their driver very well.

When they arrive they will be met by another volunteer who will welcome them, make sure they have a comfortable chair and a nice cup of tea or coffee. During a day at the Day Hospice they will meet at least four volunteers who will serve lunch and more cups of tea and coffee and even a pre lunch drink of sherry or wine. Some of the volunteers may give the patient a hand or foot massage or organise a quiz or game for them to join in or perhaps most important of all they will sit down and chat to the patient and listen to their stories.

Through the windows the patient will see a beautiful garden and if they come on a Tuesday there will be a team of volunteers working there. Around fifteen gardeners will be mowing, planting and weeding to keep the garden looking its best.

If a patient or relative needs to ring St Wilfrid’s, the first person they will speak to will probably be a volunteer working on reception. The front reception desk is manned from 9.00am to 5.00pm each week day by volunteers who put the calls through to the right extension and run the kiosk selling sweets, drinks and all sorts of things that help to raise money for the Hospice.

Any patient who comes in to St Wilfrid’s to stay will find volunteers on duty from 9.00am to 8pm serving meals and plenty of cups of tea and coffee to them and their visitors. If the patient’s newspaper has failed to arrive or they fancy a drink that is not available it will be the volunteer who will pop out to the local shops to get it. A volunteer is available most days to offer the in-patients a hand or foot massage. There are flower arrangements to brighten up corners of the in-patient area and these are cared for by another team of volunteers who come in each week day.

Sometimes patients need help with doing the shopping or a lift to a hospital appointment and once again volunteers come to the rescue. Occasionally someone is needed to sit with a patient while a carer goes out and some of our volunteers are happy to help out.

As well as the volunteers the patients meet there are a number who are working in the back ground raising funds through the support groups or the hospice shops or helping with administration in the Hospice offices.

Volunteers are also an essential part of the bereavement service provided for relatives and friends of our patients. Susie Norton our Family Care Specialist trains a team of volunteers to support people through bereavement. They visit relatives at home, if asked, and help with group support at our Open House meetings.

Every one of our team of volunteers is essential to the standard of care for which St Wilfrid’s is renowned. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact Sally Morgan, Volunteer Co-ordinator on 01243 755815