Volunteers honoured for dedication to Hospice

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