Having visited the St Elizabeth Hospice website looking for volunteer vacancies, Clive Reeve found just what he was looking for!
Clive wanted to volunteer in order to get out and meet people. As he already knew some staff and volunteers at St Elizabeth Hospice, he thought it a good place to investigate.
As a Clinical Stores Operative, Clive volunteers once a week and his role includes: collecting pharmacy and phlebotomy orders; returning equipment to the Supply Depot; replenishing the stock in the Stores cupboard from the hospital; topping up the Sluice room, ward cabinets and dressings room; getting to know where everything is stored and running ‘ad hoc’ collections/deliveries as requested.
When considering volunteering at the Hospice, Clive was unsure of whether it would be ‘a bit morbid’ but he said:
“The complete opposite is true; everyone is so friendly and warm.
It’s nice to be appreciated by the nurses and ward sisters, all of whom do a marvellous job.”
Volunteering close to his home has obvious benefits; Clive also enjoys gardening with his wife, exercising at the gym three times a week and being on call for his twin sons who are off to university in the autumn.
Clive worked for 39 years, starting as a postman for the Royal Mail, then taking up a management position. When he was offered early redundancy he took it, knowing that he would not be doing nothing for long.
How right he was.
If you would like to find out more about joining Clive and our amazing team of volunteers, view our volunteer vacancies page.