GoVolHerts Newsletter

At Garden House Hospice Care, we are passionate about reaching more people earlier in their journey to receive our support and care, giving them the confidence to live well and enjoy life to the fullest. Our Wellbeing Hubs help us to achieve this aim. We have a number of weekly hubs which are run by our amazing Compassionate Neighbours, where all are welcome to join us for some seated exercise, a cup of tea and a chat, meet new people and get some support and advice. We know that transport can be such a barrier for people being able to access our services, so we now offer a transport service to those who wish to attend our Wellbeing Hubs. We are looking for Drivers and Chaperones to transport Community Members from their home to a hub and then return them home at the end of the session, using our own minibuses. Full training, a schedule and route will be provided. Tom is one of our long-standing volunteers, who is also a Compassionate Neighbour and has now joined our team of minibus drivers and chaperones. He kindly took some time to answer some questions about why he applied to volunteer for the Transport Team and would recommend this role to others. What prompted you to join the Garden House Hospice Care Community Transport Team? I had seen the great benefits which people receive when attending our hubs and wanted to play a part in ensuring that they can attend if transport is a challenge. How often do you volunteer for the Garden House Hospice Care Community Transport Team? I have been volunteering with the transport team for 3 months, for one session of about 2 hours per week. What is the best thing about volunteering? It is a great way to “give something back” to society. Each day is different, you meet a wide range of people, learn new skills and are supported at all times by the friendly and helpful team members. Finally, would you recommend volunteering to others? Definitely – in addition to “giving something back” to society, it exposes you to new experiences, a lot of fun and fulfilment. Volunteer Drivers need to be aged 21 or over and have had a driving licence (with no endorsements) for at least 2 years. Chaperones need to be aged 18 or over and be physically able to assist people on and off the minibus. For both roles volunteers need to be friendly, reliable and punctual. If you are interested please click the button below, or call Volunteer Services at Garden House Hospice Care on 01462 679540 Option 6

Jenny Burrows has volunteered at Isabel Hospice for five years. She first worked at the hospice helping the volunteer engagement team at head office, creating name badges for volunteers and supporting general office duties. After lockdown she moved to the Isabel Hospice Living Well hub at Hall Grove and has been there ever since. Jenny currently supports the Art group, FAB group and Neurological group and operates the Reception desk at Living Well. Jenny is also a compassionate neighbour, attending regular coffee mornings, connecting with different people and playing games over tea and plenty of cake! Jenny answers some questions about her volunteering journey: Why did you decide to start volunteering? After recovering from a long illness I needed to regain my confidence and a friend recommended applying to Isabel Hospice as a volunteer. I had a bit of experience working in a care home as an activity assistant before this and was looking for a new challenge. How often do you volunteer for Isabel Hospice? This varies throughout the year. Currently, I help out on Tuesdays (compassionate neighbours), Wednesdays (FAB group) and once a month on a Thursday ( Neuro Group). How has volunteering changed you? I feel like I have gained more experience meeting and talking to different people and this has helped me become more confident as a person. What is the best thing about volunteering? I always go home feeling happy that I have made a difference and helped to brighten people’s day with my companionship. What would you say to someone considering volunteering? Go for it, meet new people, learn more skills and make new friendships. It also gives you the chance to make a difference to other people’s lives as well as your own. Finally, would you recommend volunteering to others? Yes I certainly would. Volunteering can be hard at times but also very beneficial. When you are volunteering you get to meet a variety of different people, both young and old. The staff at Isabel Hospice are always there if I need anything and it’s a pleasure being part of a wonderful team and I would not want to volunteer anywhere else. Feeling inspired? Join our Virtual Volunteer Fair on 22nd January, sign up here !

A beautiful story about one volunteer's growth from their first days volunteering, to now, where they offer therapeutic support, fundraising and gardening skills, through her blossoming volunteer journey. Hear Peta's story about volunteering with Growing People . "When I was approaching retirement, I started looking for local opportunities to meet people, learn new skills and hopefully do something positive. I happened to go to a gardening related event in Letchworth and got chatting with a lady from Growing People. I read the leaflet she gave me, and this charity seemed to meet a couple of items on my wish list. I asked if they needed volunteers, and when I heard that they did I decided to get in touch when I had finished working. This was in 2018, and I started volunteering in the summer. I was not confident of being any help, so to begin with I remained with the group who were doing general maintenance tasks while I learned about the site and the charity. I did general weeding, cutting back, planting, tidying and digging. Also I helped with raising and nurturing the herb plants that we sell to the public on site or at local events. Later that year I was offered the chance of training for a Gardener support role, and I began volunteering during one of the Therapy sessions. Here the focus is on the Gardeners we work with. We support their therapeutic goals by helping them to develop their plots; sowing seeds with them and helping them grow their chosen flowers or vegetables to pick or harvest later in the season. We also get to know them and encourage communication and teamwork and sharing plants and harvests. It's great to see how these activities help the Gardeners to gain in confidence. When asked what I get from my volunteering at Growing People I always feel a little selfish as it’s not about me, but in truth I get a vast amount of satisfaction from my time here. I am out in the fresh air come rain or shine, in a wonderfully wild and green space. I get the chance to meet and socialise with other volunteers, the Gardeners and the Horticultural Therapists. I have made good, lasting friendships, and laughed a lot! Oh, and I do some gardening along the way too." If Peta's story has inspired you and you would like to volunteer with Growing People, check out their volunteering opportunities on their GoVolHerts profile