Isabel Hospice in Welwyn Garden City recently held a month-long series of events to celebrate the work of its 750 volunteers.
As part of the celebrations, the hospice held their second Volunteer Long Service awards afternoon, where certificates were presented to volunteers to mark between 10 and 35 years of service at the hospice.
The roles the volunteers fulfil include volunteering in the shops as retail assistants and donation sorters, in the four Living Well Hubs with refreshments, art sessions and a complementary therapists, the In-Patient Unit in hospitality and bereavement support and in areas such as finance, fundraising, eBay and at the Welcome Centre.
Rod Leggetter, Chair of Isabel Hospice Trustees said: “Our volunteers are incredible, they give Isabel their skills, passion, time and commitment in absolutely every area of our work – we would be lost without them! Last year they dedicated over 110,500 hours which equates to a wage bill saving to the charity of £900,000* ”
Speaking about the awards afternoon, Rod added: “It was wonderful to host over 100 volunteers each of whom had been volunteering for over 10 years, making up 1,000 years of volunteering between them.
“We heard from May Pheasant, our Heart Failure Nurse, about a lady she has been supporting; watched a video of Jack, aged 10 from Welwyn Garden City who has been supported by our Children’s Bereavement Team following the death of his dad; and Richard Drew spoke powerfully about the care provided by the hospice to his wife Liz and the support to him and their three sons. We thanked every volunteer for the role they play in making our care possible.”
For more information visit Isabel Hospice
*Base on the National Living Wage
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