Hospice volunteers

Drive a car. Use a computer. Pour tea. Arrange flowers. Make a cake. Play games. Listen and talk. Share a joke.

There are so many ways you can touch someone’s life… and maybe change your own. Hospice volunteers help with everything. They support hospice staff, help to make patients comfortable, give hope and encouragement and share laughter. 

We’re sure that no matter which area of the hospice you choose, you’ll enjoy being a part of our volunteer team. All that’s required is compassion, commitment, a non-judgmental attitude and the willingness to make a difference to the lives of others.

Take a look at the varied and valuable tasks our hospice volunteers perform

Coffee shop volunteers 

"My children are at university and I volunteer here fortnightly. I enjoy meeting volunteers, staff, patients and their visitors. Over the years I have made some wonderful friends." Devi Sothinathan, Coffee Shop volunteer

Selling home-made cakes, sandwiches and beverages, these volunteers interact with patients, visitors and staff. Volunteers cover weekday shifts (9.30am-1.30pm, 1.15-4.30pm, 4.30-7.30pm) and weekend shifts (10.00am-1.30pm, 1.15-4.00pm, 4.00-7.00pm.) Volunteers must be able to show empathy for others and a clear understanding of hygiene procedures.

Administrative volunteers 

These volunteers have no direct contact with patients but give office and clerical support throughout the hospice, enabling others to ensure that our care is of the highest quality. Word processing and data input are useful skills but other tasks include photocopying, money counting, post sorting and mail shots. 

Ward volunteers

"To share kindness is fulfilling and hopefully adds a little light to those in need." Mary Jensen, Ward volunteer

Tasks mainly involve serving meals and refreshments to patients and their visitors. Volunteers cover three shifts: breakfast 8.00am-10.30pm, lunch 11.15-3.30pm and supper 5.15-7.30pm. It is important to be friendly, show empathy, have excellent listening skills and the ability to work within a clear set of boundaries. Volunteers support in-patient care and care support services but no nursing duties are undertaken.

Day Care volunteers

Volunteers in Day Care offer companionship and support in a wide range of roles. Some drive patients to and from the hospice. Others serve meals and refreshments, play games and quizzes, get involved in crafts or simply chat. Day Care is available on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. This is a very popular area for volunteers so it is unlikely you would be required on a regular basis.

Floral volunteers 

This team provides fresh and dried floral arrangements for decoration around the hospice, particularly in the ward areas and in patient rooms. Volunteers usually offer a minimum of half a day monthly and may be required to arrange pedestals and other formal arrangements. Membership of a local flower club is an advantage but not a requirement.

Gardening volunteers

The grounds of the hospice are the pride and joy of our volunteer gardeners. They ensure that our therapeutic environment extends outdoors to provide a beautiful and peaceful haven for patients and visitors. A weekly commitment of four hours is ideal and duties range from digging, shredding and grass-cutting to planting, weeding and pruning.

Bereavement Support volunteers   

Reaching out to grieving individuals, our Bereavement Support volunteers are understanding listeners. They know that each person’s experience of grief is unique and they provide skilled emotional support. Skilled Helper training is required.  

Complementary Therapy volunteers

Our Complementary Therapy volunteers have professional qualifications and their own insurance. They offer therapies such as massage, reflexology and aromatherapy to staff, in-patients and those who attend Day Care and The Heath Centre. We also welcome hairdressers, manicurists and podiatrists.

We are currently in need of Hairdressing Volunteers for both the Ward and our Day Care, to provide shampooing, blow drying and trimming - You must have a hair dressing qualification and be available once a week or a few times a month.

Pets As Therapy (PAT) volunteers

Our ‘PAT’ dogs offer a different kind of therapy and many who are with us for in-patient care and in Day Care find their presence uplifting. Volunteers must have appropriate certificates and insurance, and be members of the PAT Association. See www.patstopdogs.co.uk

Driving volunteers

We are always in need of volunteer drivers and have the following roles: 

1. Driving patients to and from Day Care
2. Running errands (eg to collect patient records and drugs for in-patient care)
3. Distributing shop bags and collecting donated goods
4. Driving vans and providing assistance with furniture deliveries and collection

Reception volunteers

We are delighted to now have a new Patients Reception. This requires 2 volunteers to work a whole day in order to provide continuity as they will be welcoming patients to our Ward or Day Care and be available do some light clerical tasks for different departments. This may require a PC and the use of a Photocopier as well as the franking machine.

Our Visitors Reception is the first point of contact for all visitors, our receptionists have an important role in the hospice. The position requires an ability to communicate sensitively with friends and relatives of patients, to remain calm while dealing with enquiries and to sell goods from our merchandise area. We offer a choice of shifts, 7 days a week.

All our incoming phone calls are dealt with in our new Reception Office, our switchboard requires 2 volunteers to answer all incoming calls from 8.30 - 5pm  - 5 days a week. Reception Office Volunteers need to have a calm professional approach to call management and be able to record detailed messages when staff are unavailable. All volunteers and staff will be signing in and out at Reception Office and some light clerical duties without a PC might be undertaken on occasions.

All volunteers are enrolled on our induction programme and receive training in the area of care they wish to be involved in. For an informal chat please call our Voluntary Service Manager, Judy Halpin 023 9223 8538/9. Alternatively email judy.halpin@rowanshospice.co.uk.