Hospice Chair takes time out to chat to volunteers to find out what volunteering means to them. We also hear from volunteer Janet Willey about why volunteering is so important to her
All of our volunteers are so important to us at City Hospice and play a vital role in helping us provide palliative and end of life care to the people of Cardiff. As we celebrate Volunteers Week 2021, Michael Baker, Chair of the Council of Management takes time out to chat to some of our volunteers.
We also have been talking to Janet Willey, Day Centre host, who tells us why she volunteers:
I started volunteering about 6years ago. I wanted to give back after having breast cancer about 20yrs ago and when I retired the opportunity came about.
I am a Day Centre Host on a Tuesday afternoon and started helping with the Virtual Headsets when the Pandemic struck. I welcome patients and sit and talk about how they are. Make tea, coffee and provide biscuits. Also we have speakers who talk on different subjects, play games, go out in the gardens and have lots of music which they patients love.
I have really missed volunteering since March2020. Missed all the patients, and the other volunteers so much.
I did suffer with loneliness and isolation as I live on my own and have no family in Cardiff so some days were very difficult. Thank goodness for the phone and Zoom.
The thing I missed most must have been talking to the patients as so many of them had such interesting stories to tell from when they were young.
Probably the best part of volunteering is helping people who quite often live alone to be able to come to the Hospice mix with others and see them talking, singing, laughing and enjoying themselves. This also helps me as well.
Samantha Curtis Volunteering Officer at City Hospice has worked really hard throughout the pandemic to keep communication open with our volunteers as we realise how important volunteering can be as part of a routine.
Sam explains:
“For many of our volunteers, volunteering can be seen as a lifeline; it can be the social interaction between people who often become life-long friends. It’s about doing something worthwhile and making difference. Volunteering at City Hospice is
playing a part in supporting those who need us most. It could be for a purpose – a way of giving something back to remember a loved one.
A some normality starts to resume it really is lovely to be welcoming back some of our volunteers and we can’t wait until a time when our whole volunteer team can return. In the meantime we want to thank and celebrate their contribution to City Hospice during Volunteers Week 2021″
