Meet Our Volunteers

I worked in public service for 40 years, I felt I had something to offer. My late wife was a Hospice Volunteer for 17 years and we enjoyed sharing our experiences. Being a part of a team and meeting new people is the most enjoyable part of volunteering. The best everyday experiences working in the Hospice is being able to help our visitors and seeing the seasonal changes in the garden.

My daughter Kay is the reason I volunteered at St Cuthbert's Hospice, she works at the hospice and one of my colleagues passed away here. The most enjoyable part of volunteering is spending time in the office with the girls and doing something worthwhile. Seeing my daughter everyday is a bonus and seeing her happy.

At the time I started volunteering for the Hospice, I didn’t have a personal connection but I have now. You never know if you might need help yourself one day. I worked with the public all of my working career so already had that experience. I feel I’ve swapped books for clothes, as I used to work in a library. I like to feel like I’m helping people and enjoy talking to customers. I’ve gained friends by volunteering and am happy to give something back to the community.

The atmosphere and environment at the Hospice is so welcoming, warm and friendly. It’s evolved over the years I’ve been here, people have moved on, but the atmosphere has never changed. I like being there. I’ve made so many friends, so the social side is important. I volunteer because I want to and know I’m making a difference. I’m a cog in the team and as a team I know we make a difference. There’s no ‘i’ in team. It’s a good feeling of putting something back into the community.

When I first retired, I saw a poster in a shop window saying that St Cuthbert’s were opening a shop. I thought I’ve got a bit of spare time, I’d like to put it to good use. I get on well with everyone and meet different people volunteering on different shifts. I have made friendships with regular customers. I’ve learned how to use a till, card machine and how to create window displays. It’s nice to hear that our customers think the shop is clean and tidy and that the windows look lovely.

I found out about volunteering at the shop through coming in as a customer. I hadn’t worked in retail before but I love it. I look forward to coming in, meeting and talking to people. I like interacting. It’s very fulfilling, an enjoyable experience and good to feel needed. I’ve gained confidence and retail skills. If you’re thinking about volunteering you won’t regret it. You’ll have a really good time.