Hospice recognises incredible difference of charity volunteers

Trinity Hospice is this week saying a heartfelt thank you to the hundreds of people who donate their time to the charity.

As the hospice, which includes Brian House Children’s Hospice, marks Volunteers’ Week (3rd-9th June), it is reaching out to its 580 volunteers who make a considerable difference to the charity.

Across the organisation, the charity says its volunteer workforce is worth £1.4m.

CEO David Houston said: “We are incredibly fortunate to have such a strong team of committed people in our community who are as passionate – if not more so – as we are about the outstanding specialist care we are providing to everyone who needs it across our communities.

“We take every opportunity to thank them for the difference they make, and this week our colleagues from across the charity will be taking the time to show just how much we all appreciate our volunteers.”

The hospice is regularly recruiting for volunteers who offer their time in a range of different ways, including gardening, providing refreshments to patients and visitors, offering a warm welcome on reception and supporting patients in their homes as Hospice Neighbours.

Volunteers also help at Fundraising Events such as the Beaverbrooks Blackpool 10k Fun Run which took place recently and raised nearly £80,000, and the Beaverbrooks Bike Ride which takes place on Sunday 9th June.

Volunteers have also been helping deliver Blackpool’s first ever major public art trail.

A team of committed supporters have been donating their time to check the Elmer’s Big Parade Blackpool sculptures and reporting any damage, and others have been volunteering in the dedicated Trail HQ and Shop on Victoria Street, which is open every day of the eight-week trail.

Sue Findlay has worked a number of shifts at the shop, but is also a volunteer at Brian House and in Trinity’s Living Well Service.

She said: “When I was employed and working full time, I volunteered part time at Brian House. But when I retired I realised I could do more at Brian House. Then I was asked if I would volunteer at the arts and crafts group in Living Well, being that I’m a crafty person.

“I get a lot of satisfaction out of both. I love the children and the fact that you get to know each one individually over the years. I have a lot of fun with them. The arts and crafts group is a couple of hours respite for patients and outpatients and I take satisfaction in knowing that I can help them take their mind off things.”

Katie and Ellena Dickason are volunteers at the Trail HQ and Shop through their work at Shared Services Connected Ltd (SSCL), which is the Volunteer Programme sponsor for Elmer’s Big Parade Blackpool.

They said: “Volunteering for Elmers Big Blackpool Parade was brought to our attention through work at SSCL. We thought it would be nice to give something back to our local charity, especially with it being Brian House and helping children.

“It has made us think about doing more volunteering in the future and doing more for local causes.”