Skip to content

Celebrating Shirley, our volunteer of 37 years

“The first time I came into contact with the Hospice was in 1985 when my sister was the second patient to be admitted. The care she had was wonderful, nothing was too much trouble. The staff, volunteers, food .. she was so happy to be there. She had care for six months, and when she died in June 1986 my husband and I asked if we could volunteer, and that we would be willing to do anything. We knew we couldn’t donate much to say thank you, so we decided to offer our time.

After waiting a year from our bereavement, we started our volunteering by driving patients to day care. My husband Seamus helped on reception, really enjoying talking to visitors as he knew what they were going through. I worked on the inpatient unit, where it was lovely to be able to talk and help people. All the staff were very kind to us.

With it being the early days of the Hospice, we helped some weekends by doing the cleaning with all the staff which was very rewarding. We also helped with day care trips which was varied and we had lots of fun doing concerts, taking people on day trips and having lunch out.

We then got involved in sorting clothes, bric-a-brac and all sorts of other things to sell at the sales in the carpark at the Hospice. When that got too big, St Leonard’s opened their first shop in Acomb. People are ever so kind with their donations, and the space for sorting clothes to sell has got bigger over the years, to the warehouse in Acomb where it is now, and where I regularly volunteer.

I have worked with lovely people over the years who have given their time. I was sorry to leave volunteering at the main site after 22 years of being there, when my husband became ill and was caring for him. However I continued my volunteering at the donation centre in Acomb, sorting items to sell. I have been really privileged to be able to use my time like this. This is my 37th year and I hope I can keep going longer.”

With sincere thanks to Shirley from all at the Hospice, for 37 years of dedication and hard work as our longest serving Hospice volunteer. 

 

 

Image of a person