Dedicated volunteers were honoured and celebrated on Sunday at an afternoon tea party organised by St Elizabeth Hospice.
The local charity has more than 1,100 volunteers who help the Hospice in a variety of ways, from working on reception or on the ward, to assisting in one of the Hospice’s shops or at an event.
200 people attended the Volunteer Summer Event on Sunday at Trinity Park, where guests were treated to afternoon tea, music from a quartet and choir, and 74 volunteers received a long service award for five, ten, 15, or 20 years of volunteering.
Dr Dan Poulter, MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich and the Hospice’s Chairman, William Barnes, gave the awards to the long-serving volunteers, whilst MC for the event, BBC Radio Suffolk’s Rachel Sloane, read out a citation about each volunteer, outlining their hard work and the individual skills they bring to their role.
Acting Chief Executive of the Hospice, Mark Millar, gave a speech explaining how reliant the Hospice is on its volunteers, without whom they couldn’t continue to provide local Hospice care for local people.
He said: “We have an amazing team of well over 1,100 volunteers who support the Hospice and I would like to thank each and every one of them for everything they do for us.
“It is comforting to know that the Hospice is so well supported by its volunteers and it is this support that enables us to provide the first class care to more than 2,000 patients and their families every year.”
Among those receiving awards was Diane Hollis, Volunteer Assistant on the Inpatient Unit at the Hospice. She said: “I saw an advert in the paper and responded. That was 15 years ago and I’ve been here ever since. I really wanted to help the Hospice so I’m pleased to be able to help on the Inpatient unit. I love it!”
Jan Grayston, Meet and Greeter at the Hospice, said: “I’ve been volunteering for the Hospice for just over five years so I’m due to get a five-year award. I meet and greet people and make them coffee before they see a doctor. I really enjoy it – and I’m a very good chatter!”
Mark added: “I would also like to say thank you to the Serendipity Quartet and the New Song Community Choir for giving up their time to come along and give such fantastic performances.”
St Elizabeth Hospice is always looking for more volunteers to join their team, so if you can spare a few hours a week or month get in touch. Call 01473 707016, email volunteer@stelizabethhospice.org.uk or visit www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/volunteer
Long Service Awards
5 years
Jean Blewitt – Dogs Head Street Shop
Cathryn Bolton – Admin
Mandy Burch – Complementary Therapy
Debbie Chittock – Therapy Team
Sandra Cook – Dogs Head Street Shop
Barbara Coulter – Day Care
John Dalley – Holywells Retail Centre
Barbara Dann – Woodbridge Shop
Evelyn Dunn – Saxmundham Shop
Russell Fairweather – Felixstowe Shop
Barry French – Selkirk Road Shop
Penny Gildersleeves – Reception
Shirley Girling – Felixstowe Shop
Matthew Girt – Dogs Head Street Shop
Vera Gostling – Hadleigh Shop
Janice Grayston – Admin
Janet Haddock – Selkirk Road Shop
Judith Hankins – Hadleigh Shop
Carolyn Hart – HR & Education
Angela Healey – Day Services
Jane Howe – Dogs Head Street Shop
Sylvia Jay – Selkirk Road Shop
Wendy Jeggo – Leiston Shop
Celia (Cecelia) Johnstone – Ward Helper & Nurse
Paul Kitchen – Home sitting service
Erica Mason – Home sitting service
Glennis Mayhew – Hawthorn Drive Shop
Michael Meeks – Distribution Centre
Pauline Newton Nacton road Shop
Susan Race – Day Services
Moira Reeves – Reception
Joy Sheath – Felixstowe Shop
Alex Shulver Driver
Carol Squirrell – Hadleigh Shop
Linda Taylor – HR & Education
Roy Unwin – Maintenance, Gardening & Domestic
Linda Weston – Hawthorn Drive Shop
Gordon Funnell – Fundraising & Events
Tony Gardiner – Fundraising & Events
Les Knight – Fundraising & Events
Gary Overton – Fundraising & Events
Angela Connolly – Hospice Choir
Valerie Shelley – Hospice Choir
Andrew Turnbull – Fundraising
Shirley Saul – Hawthorn Drive Shop
10 years
Doreen Bailey – Leiston Shop
Phyllis Gooderham – Hadleigh Shop
Russell Howlett – Holywells Retail Centre
Gillian Lewis – Day Services
Heather Morphew – Hadleigh Shop
Sally Napier – Ambassador
Penelope Pickard – Driver
Doreen (Dee)Scott – Ward Helper & Nurse
David Smith – Driver
Ian Craig – Fundraising & Events
Sonja Nestor – Ward Helper/Collections
Karen Osborne – Shop volunteer and events
Barbara Cribb – Nacton Road shop
Marjorie Harvey – Nacton Road shop
Sally Dron – Ward Helper
Sue Hayes – Fundraising
15 years
Carol Alrich – Saxmundham Shop
Audrey Bunnell – Woodbridge Shop
Mavis Cattermole – Saxmundham Shop
Beryl Clow – Selkirk Road Shop
Peggy Hogsden – Hadleigh Shop
Diana Hollis – Ward Helper & Nurse
Jenny Knight – Reception
Valerie Love – Woodbridge Shop
Mary Ryan – Stowmarket Shop
Carole Stewart – Ward Helper
Geoff Porter – Ward Helper
Linda Tovey – Reception
20 years
Tony Harper – Reception
Julia Shoebridge – Ward Helper & Nurse
Eileen Keeble – Woodbridge Friends Group
Janet Pocock – Ward Helper