First St Elizabeth Hospice volunteers to be honoured for 25 years service

Gladys Ward, Peter Neate and Shirley Quinton (main picture) were among around 49 wonderful volunteers given Long Service Awards during an afternoon tea party on Saturday 15th June.

All those who received awards have been helping the Hospice for five, ten, 15, 20 or 25 years.

The event took place at Kesgrave Conference and Community Centre in Kesgrave, Ipswich, and was attended by around 220 guests.

The High Sheriff of Suffolk Sir Edward Greenwell presented the special badges and thanked the volunteers for their support and commitment to the Hospice. 

Hospice Chief Executive Jane Petit also praised the volunteers. She said: “I would like to thank the hundreds of volunteers who support every facet of our organisation bringing their life experience, knowledge and skills to help us continue to grow local Hospice care for local people – and without whom we would not have been able to meet the needs of more than 2,000 patients, their families and carers in the last year.”

Shirley Quinton, Peter Neate and Gladys Ward have notched up 25 years of support because they started volunteering before the Hospice opened in Foxhall Road, Ipswich, in November 1989, by campaigning to raise the £1m needed to fund the project and have supported the charity ever since.

Mrs Quinton, 77, of Ipswich, was on reception the first day the Hospice opened and still volunteers on reception. She also served as secretary and chair of the Friends of St Elizabeth Hospice, has helped raise thousands of pounds through various events and is an ambassador.

She said: “I find volunteering very rewarding. I have met many very nice people and I am passionate about the Hospice and all that it does.”

Peter Neate, 94 of Felixstowe, helps twice a week – on reception and as a ward clerk – and is also an ambassador attending cheque presentations and other events. 

He said: “I feel grateful to have been able to have helped for 25 years, the work has given me so much pleasure.”

Gladys Ward, 84, of Little Bealings near Woodbridge, raised an amazing £140,000 for the Hospice from the stall she ran with a team of volunteers at Ipswich Hospital until 2011. Since then she has volunteered in the Hospice shop in Selkirk Road, Ipswich. 

She said: “Some of my friends and relatives have been cared for by the Hospice – including my mother – and I will continue to volunteer for as long as I can.”

They also received a beautiful paper weight.

A further 41 long-serving volunteers who could not attend the event received their award by post with a special letter.

The St Elizabeth Hospice Community Choir performed at the event.

St Elizabeth Hospice welcomes the support of volunteers to provide a helping hand in all areas of the organisation including its shops, garden, Inpatient Units, reception, driving patients to day care, or helping with fundraising and administration.

If you are looking for a rewarding role see our current volunteer vacancies.