Celebrating the long service contributed by our staff and volunteers is a key part of acknowledging the vital role that our workforce plays in the community of Hastings and Rother. Without them, we simply wouldn’t be here to provide our expert hospice care services.
We recently awarded many of our staff and volunteers. One of those individuals was Barbara, who celebrates 15 years of volunteering with us. Here, she shares her experience with us.
How did you come to get involved with the Hospice?
“After my mother died in 2009, my friends Jane and Dorothy, who had been involved with the jigsaw stalls at the Hospice’s Coffee Mornings, asked if I was interested in joining them. So, in March 2009, I went along expecting just to clear up and take away the cups, which I did for about half an hour. Then some of the other volunteers started heading home and I just took over – that was the start!
“Shortly after, in September 2009, I began a counselling course. I needed to complete some volunteering hours. I couldn’t do marriage guidance counselling because I’ve never been married or had children, but I have been bereaved. So, I thought the Hospice was the right place to go. I did my volunteering hours with the Hospice and Cruse, completed the training, and then progressed to a Counselling Diploma. From there, I had more time to volunteer again and it carried on – the Wardsbrook concerts, newsletter sorting and delivery, collecting at supermarkets. I just felt inspired to be part of something special.
“I retired from teaching in 2011, which meant I could do more at the Hospice during the week. With more time on my hands, volunteering gave me a purpose, a reason to exist. I felt useful to people.”
What have been your favourite moments?
“I loved doing the Wardsbrook concerts. I enjoyed being appreciated for what we were doing. It was so special – the people, the venue owners, the music, the sense of appreciation. I’ve kept all the programmes, and looking at them brings back many happy memories.
“Packing and delivering the Hospice’s newsletters is enjoyable. We have such fun – Vernon, Joe, and the others. So much so I was upset that I missed it once because I was on holiday! Stuffing the newsletters stands out for me because of the laughter and camaraderie.
“I also helped at two of the Pop-Up Christmas Shops in Little Common, and also the ones organised during the summer at the Donation Centre. They were very special to me and I met some lovely people whilst having great fun.
“There’s a sense of pride in wearing the Hospice lanyard. When collecting, people would come up to me and say things like, ‘My brother was there – what a wonderful service the Hospice provides’. That meant a lot to me.”
What would you say to someone who’s thinking about volunteering at St Michael’s Hospice?
“I’d say: take the plunge, have a go! In the last two years of my teaching, while I was doing the counselling diploma, I used to talk to the children about the Hospice. I explained that it was a happy place, not just somewhere associated with the end of life, and I felt it was important to discuss this. People often fear they’ll walk in and only see patients in bed, but there’s so much more you can do to support and give.
“The Hospice really is a happy place.”
If you’re interested in volunteering with us, we have a wide range of roles available on our volunteer opportunities page.
