John Clayton, a volunteer from Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice, has scooped the Everyday Hero award at a ceremony celebrating colleagues and volunteers from across the national palliative care and bereavement charity.
Long-standing volunteer John, 82, from Cheltenham first became aware of Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice when his mother-in-law received respite care there. He explained:
“After my mother-in-law died, Pauline, my late wife, became a volunteer gardener at the hospice. She did that for 10 years. Then Pauline was diagnosed with cancer and passed away at the hospice. It will be nine years ago next month.”
“That’s when I got involved with volunteering. It’s very difficult to describe exactly what I do – it’s basically anything anyone asks me to do!”
In recent years, John has displayed many talents, taking on the role of resident Father Christmas, events photographer and technology whizz, and as a keen gardener he regularly brings in home-grown vegetables for staff. He also helps with social drop-in bereavement groups and attends the Sue Ryder Grief Kind Spaces in the local area.
Earlier this year, to mark his huge contribution to Sue Ryder, John was awarded the Everyday Hero Award for 2024, one of the charity’s Values in Practice (VIP) awards, which celebrates staff and volunteers from across the organisation.
Out of an incredible 506 nominations, 36 inspirational individuals and teams were shortlisted for awards in nine categories. The winners were announced at a glittering ceremony at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, which John attended with his daughter.
When asked how he felt to receive the award, John said: “I felt a bit overwhelmed – I’m a big fella, but, in a lot of ways I’m quite shy! I’m incredibly proud of it and know Pauline would have been too.”
Alysia Cameron-Price, Community Fundraising Manager at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice, said: “John truly deserves his Everyday Hero award. He’s known by nearly everyone at the hospice and goes above and beyond what is expected of a general volunteer.
He truly cares about every individual, whether they are a patient, staff member or volunteer, and his positive outlook on life and can-do attitude always brings a smile to people’s faces.
“He gives as much as he can to support us, and we would truly struggle without him. He has had more of an impact on the hospice than he will ever realise, and the hospice wouldn’t be the same without him.”
To find out more about volunteering opportunities at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice, email: leckhampton.fundraising@
For more information on Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice visit www.sueryder.org
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