Local charity St Elizabeth Hospice has paid tribute to approximately 1,300 volunteers at a celebration event at Trinity Park.
Around 250 volunteers were able to attend the thank you event held by the hospice, to show appreciation and gratitude to those who give their free time to support the charity, with 40 volunteers receiving a long service award.
The hospice employs approximately 270 people working right across east Suffolk, but it also has a staggering 1,300 volunteers who support their work in almost every area of the hospice. The generous support of all the volunteers enables the hospice to deliver its wide range of services and provide support for patients and families, sometimes in unexpected ways. Of the current roles undertaken by volunteers there are drivers, gardeners, craft up-cyclers, furniture painters, retail assistants and a stamp collector and sorter, to name but a few. Most recently the hospice has welcomed its first pat cat – Beatrix, who has visited patients in the day service and in the inpatients unit.
HR volunteer business partner Sue Joy said: “We are so fortunate that we are able to attract so many volunteers to work with us, all of who show enormous dedication and commitment to the charity. We still have people volunteering with us who were on the original committee raising funds to build the hospice over 30 years ago. We want to say a huge thank you to all of them, and afternoon tea and an awards ceremony is a just one small way of doing this.”
St Elizabeth Hospice is always looking for volunteers to be part of the team. For a full list of volunteering roles please visit www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/volunteer or contact the team on 01473 707016.
Full list of recipients:
5 years:
Margaret Baldwin
Ann Morgan
Sandra Ralph
Jo Mayhew
Maggie Scott
Jane Hudson
Jill Cuff
Charles Cooper
Sheila Winton
Linda Last
Mary Nesling
Nathan Spilone
Paula Turnbull
Joanne Mitchell
Paula Pratt
Pamela Hammond
Sharon Murray
Connor Murray
Mark Cole
Valerie Williamson
Tracey Standing
Frank Adams
Robert Lawrence
Jean Goodwin
Linda Wilce
Dawn Nockalls
Dave Kankai
Linda Tremayne
Kathryn Tremayne
Suzanne Fosdike
Gwen Nettleingham
Irene Perry
Lorraine Armstrong
Michael Jackson
Patricia James
Maureen Higgs
Brendan Chandler
Margaret Samain
John King
Lincoln Pratt
Brenda Burdon
Doreen Golding
Alison Rumsey
Jackie Squirrell
Michael Murton
Alan Pay
Grainne Drummond
Ian Turner
Amber Swinn
David Gabriel
10 years:
Jennifer Davies
Christine Fulcher
Rachael Hines
Evelyn Kent
Joyce Clover
Elizabeth Meeks
Mark Andrews
Bruce Pacitti
Alan Castle
Peggy Reynolds
Suzanne Watson
Margaret Woods
Beverley Warren
Patricia Pearce
Linda Flaherty
Susan Edwards
Linda Flaherty
Kevin Widdick
Deborah Pryke
Nigel Gibbons
Francis Osborn
15 years:
Betty Lloyd
Pauline Banham
Marion Leeson
Danny Hickey
20 years:
Susan Bruce
25 years:
Vera Coles
Ernie Brooks