Volunteers play a crucial role across a number of our Trust locations. The care and attention they provide compliments the services provided by our front line clinical teams and makes a big difference to people’s lives.
Volunteers have also told us of the personal benefits they have gained in their role such as:
- Greater confidence – volunteering can boost confidence by providing the opportunity to try something new which builds a real sense of achievement and purpose
- Being part of a community – volunteers can feel part of something outside of their friends and family
- Learning new skills – develop new skills, gain experience that could lead to other opportunities such as qualifications
- Meeting people – provide an opportunity to meet people from diverse communities and make new friends
Volunteer Experience
- Volunteers provide on average 3-4 hours service per week
- With 300 active Volunteers this equates to approximately 1200 Volunteer hours per week or 4800 hours monthly
- Our longest serving Volunteer has been Volunteering for 29 years and 2 months
- Our newest Volunteer has been Volunteering for 1 week
What volunteers say:
“After 40 year’s volunteering with various organisations, the Trusts attitude to volunteers is clearly the best”
“Receiving a personal certificate and a word of sincere thanks was an expression of appreciation”
“I was made to feel very special and valued as a volunteer.”
Volunteer Stories
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Jim Kilpatrick MBE - Adult Patient Carer
I have been volunteering at the Royal Victoria Hospital since September 2018. I had a liver transplant in April 2018 and was supported before, during and after my operation by the RVH Liver Support Group.
After my transplant, I was invited to become an adult patient carer. It’s a great way to give something back. I speak confidentially to liver patients or their carers face to face at the group’s helpdesk in RVH Outpatients, or by phone or other means.
My role is very fulfilling, with many patients providing very encouraging feedback. I like being able to give vulnerable patients more confidence about their transplant journey and being there when they need to discuss how they feel.”
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Ruth Campbell BEM - Meet & Greet Volunteer
I have been a volunteer with the Belfast HSC Trust for 17 years. It is one of the best decisions I have made since my retirement. I am mostly in the usually crowded waiting area where both oncology and haematology patients come, often with a family member, to attend their specialised clinic in order to receive cancer treatment or to be reviewed.
“Initially, coming to Bridgewater can be a daunting experience – the beginning of an unknown journey! I am privileged as a volunteer to share in a small way in the hopes and fears of so many cancer patients.
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Arnette Martin - Meet & Greet Volunteer
“At 72 I decided it was time to hang up my boots as far as paid work was concerned, so I retired from working life and thought with my background I may be a suitable candidate for volunteering.
“I wanted to consider a cancer charity first as I had lost two close family members to this dreadful disease and I knew the great work that went on at the Macmillan Centre. So I registered with Macmillan, had a chat / interview and was delighted to be offered a shift with this great organisation.
“My role is greeting people when they come into the centre, offering tea or coffee and generally trying to make them feel welcome with a smile and a chat. I have found that some may have received bad news, they may not even know what they want, but it is a combination of just wanting to tell someone the news they have just received or wondering what support is
“I would recommend volunteering as I have taken so much from it already and I feel I am giving something back. I am looking forward to continuing in the role and gaining more knowledge as a volunteer as time goes on.”